Court Issues Notice to Madhya Pradesh CM in Trademark Dispute with International Climber Rahul Gupta

The Raipur court has formally notified Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav after receiving a petition from internationally recognised climber Rahul Gupta, known as the “Mountain Man”. Gupta alleges that the CM’s endorsement of Ankit Sen as a “Mountain Man” on government‑run social platforms infringes on his trademark, which was granted in 2019 following a title conferment by former Chhattisgarh chief minister Dr. Raman Singh in 2014. Gupta, who conquered Everest on 14 May 2018, argues that the state’s portrayal erodes his established brand and breaches Sections 28 and 29 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. He also cites a series of complaints sent to the chief minister’s secretariat and the chief minister’s office in mid‑2025 that were left unanswered. The court has scheduled a further hearing for 11 August, giving the CM an opportunity to respond to the allegations.