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In a letter addressed to her sons, Manju Lodha calls for an immediate end to their legal battle and reminded them of the 2017 Amended Family Agreement.
Abhishek Lodha and Abhinandan Lodha | File Photo
The long-running trademark dispute between real estate heirs Abhishek Lodha and Abhinandan Lodha has taken a new turn with their mother, Manju Lodha, stepping in to urge reconciliation. In a letter addressed to her sons, she called for an immediate end to their legal battle and reminded them of the 2017 Amended Family Agreement, which she emphasised should be the guiding document for resolving the matter. Her intervention comes as the Bombay High Court has appointed a mediator to help broker a settlement.
The Core Dispute: ‘Lodha’ Trademark Battle
The conflict centers on the use of the ‘Lodha’ trademark, with Abhishek Lodha’s publicly listed Macrotech Developers accusing House of Abhinandan Lodha of trademark infringement. Macrotech has filed a lawsuit seeking Rs 5,000 crore in damages, alleging that Abhinandan’s use of the ‘Lodha’ name is misleading and creates brand confusion.
Given the Lodha family’s prominence in India’s real estate sector, the case has drawn significant attention. Their father, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, founder of the Lodha Group and a Maharashtra cabinet minister, has been instrumental in building the family’s real estate legacy. Today, Macrotech Developers — controlled by Abhishek — remains one of the biggest names in the industry.
Manju Lodha’s Six Directives for Resolution
In her letter, Manju Lodha outlined six key directives for her sons, urging them to:
- Respect each other
- Avoid public disputes
- Keep business affairs separate
- Abide by the 2017 family agreement
- Recognise that each has no claim over the other’s business
- Settle matters privately, rather than in court
She reaffirmed that she and her husband had carefully decided the ownership structure, which was legally documented in 2017.
“The final arrangement within our family was documented in our Amended Family Agreement (on March 31, 2017). We confirm that both of you have no right of any form in the other brother’s business or assets or shareholding,” the letter stated.
Manju Lodha also noted that recent legal filings referenced a 2023 family agreement, which could further complicate the dispute.
Brothers React Differently
Abhishek Lodha has welcomed his mother’s intervention, reaffirming his commitment to following her directives. He reiterated that the 2017 agreement grants exclusive rights to Macrotech Developers over the ‘Lodha’ brand.
“I respect my mother’s letter and will abide by it. The 2017 agreement clearly states that the Lodha real estate business and its IPR, including the trade name ‘Lodha’, is owned by, and will exclusively be used by, Macrotech / Lodha Developers. I wish my younger brother, Abhinandan, all success in his business,” he stated in an email.
He urged Abhinandan to respect the agreement and rebrand his company to avoid market confusion.
However, Abhinandan Lodha reacted differently. In an email issued by his company, he expressed disappointment that the letter was made public, alleging it was being used to create a “false narrative”.
A Lodha Ventures spokesperson stated, “Abhinandan Lodha continues to believe that family matters should not be settled in public. This is the reason he chose to maintain a dignified silence for over 10 years. He does hope that his family honours all the commitments made to him.”
A Feud Years in the Making
The origins of this dispute date back to 2015, when Abhinandan Lodha split from the Lodha Group to establish his independent real estate business. While the 2017 family agreement formalized this separation, tensions resurfaced over his continued use of the ‘Lodha’ name.
The legal battle escalated when Macrotech Developers moved the Bombay High Court, claiming trademark infringement. Macrotech argued that Abhinandan’s branding caused confusion in the real estate market, leading to its Rs 5,000 crore damages claim.
With the matter now in mediation under former Supreme Court Justice R.V. Raveendran, the coming weeks will determine if the Lodha brothers can set aside their differences — or if the courtroom will decide the fate of the family name.
