COPYRIGHT CHRONICLE

1971
The discourses of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh are published as books in Hindi and English by a Mumbai based organisation Jeevan Jagriti Kendra (Life Awakening Centre).

1974
Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh moves to Pune (in Maharashtra, India) and Rajneesh Ashram is established by Rajneesh Foundation (RF). All his books are published by this organisation from now onwards.

1977
Chidvilas Rajneesh Meditation Centre in New Jersey, USA becomes the Rajnessh Foundation International (RFI) under the laws of the State of New Jersey, USA and later moved to Rajneeshpuram in Oregon

1981
Rajneesh Foundation (RF) is vested with all copyrights to the works of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh as per records available with Copy Rights Office in India.

1 April 1981 to 17 October 1985
Rajneesh Foundation International (RFI) claims to be the owner of an assignment from RF, Pune to RFI. However, the document for this transfer is not available. Besides, if at all any such document is present, the assignment may have broken the FERA Act of India.

17 October 1985
Rajneesh Foundation International (RFI) changes its name to Rajneesh Friends International.

23 November
Rajneesh Friends International transfers its copyrights to Rajneesh Foundation Europe (RFE), A non-profit foundation registered under the laws of Switzerland.

18 August 1986
Rajneesh Foundation International again assigns all its rights and all other copyrights to RFE. It may be noted that RFE was formed by RFI.
Since on 17 October, 1985 Rajneesh Foundation International becomes Rajneesh Friends International so the assignment dated 18 August, 1986 by the name Rajneesh Foundation International is not valid.

25 April 1990
Rajneesh Foundation Europe had earlier changed its name to Neo Sannyas International Foundation. Again changes its name to Osho International foundation.
Osho Trademark / Copyrights Chronology

1 July 1992
Two years after Osho leaves his body on 19 January 1990, OIF files three trademark applications in USA under Int. clause 16 and obtained registration as per the details given below:
1. Sr. No. 75/235704 and Reg. No. 1815841 for Misc. Dsn.
2. Sr. No. 75/235704 and Reg. No. 1815841 for Misc. Dsn.
3. Sr. No. 74/235595 and Reg. No. 1815840 for Osho for Books
4. Sr. No. 74/235597 and Reg. No. 1758285 for Design for Books

17 March 1997
OIF files two more trademark applications in USA under Int. clause 9 & 42 and obtained registrations as per details:
1. Sr. No. 75/258493 and Regd. No. 2180173 under clause 9
2. Sr. No. 75/258494 and Regd. No. 2174607 under clause 42

29 December 1997
OIF files one more trademark application in USA under Int. clause 16 and obtained registration as per details:
1. Sr. No. 75/411428 and Regd. No. 23222901 under clause 16

April 15 1999
OIF files seven more trademark applications for various meditations in USA under Int. Clause 41 as per details: NOT REGISTERED
1. Sr. No. 75/683092 for Nadabrahma Meditation
2. Sr. No. 75/683091 for Nataraj Meditation
3. Sr. No. 75/683093 for Kundalini Meditation
4. Sr. No. 75/683094 for Gaurishankar Meditation
5. Sr. No. 75/683095 for Dynamic Meditation
6. Sr. No. 75/683098 for Active Meditation
7. Sr. No. 75/683097 for OSHO for Conducting Sessions and Meditations

28 June 1999
OIF files one more trademark application in USA under Int. Clause. 9, 68 and 42 as per details: NOT REGISTERED
1. Sr. No. 75/737797 for Spiritually Incorrect

29 October 1999
OIF files one more trademark application in USA under Int. Clause 41 as per details: NOT REGISTERED
1. Sr. No. 75/834601 for Osho Active Meditations

October 2000
OIF applies for the registration of Trademark for OSHO ACTIVE MEDITATIONS. On October 29, 1999 Osho International Foundation, a corporation organised under the laws of Switzerland and located at Bahnhofstrasse 52, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland, hereinafter referred to as OIF applied for the registering of the Trademark for OSHO ACTIVE MEDITATIONS.

Initially, Osho Dhyan Mandir based in New Delhi, India and a member of OSHO FRIENDS INTERNATIONAL opposed this and stated a number of reasons for doing so. One is the generic and public domain status of these terms. Another is OIF's lack of a chain of title giving it any ownership rights to these terms and many other additional grounds. Osho Dhyan Mandir also asked for documents from the OIF which allegedly provide OIF with claim of title to these marks.

In its reply, OIF maintained that OSHO DHYAN MANDIR did not have a locus standi to oppose. Later OSHO FRIENDS INTERNATIONAL a body of Osholovers, Osho Sannyasins and Meditators opposed the attempt to register the trademark of OSHO ACTIVE MEDITATIONS. Accordingly, it was requested that OIF voluntarily abandon the foregoing applications and cancel the registrations listed above. 

OIF alleged that OFI is a 'mere intermeddler with no standing to oppose'.

November 2000
A notice of opposition and a petition to cancel five trademarks registered vide Nos. 834601, 2322901, 2180173, 2174607 and 1815840 are filed by Deepta Rajneesh Meditation Center of USA

Osho Friends International (OFI) files a petition to cancel the Trademarks registered under serial nos. 1815840, 2174607, 21780173 and 2322901.

2 January 2002
OIF files a motion to dismiss the notice of opposition filed by Osho Friends International. The grounds of opposing the trademark applications filed by OIF were:
1. OIF obtained trademarks by misrepresenting the facts before USPTO.
2. OSHO being a generic word, cannot be trade marked.
3. Meditation is a technique in use since centuries and hence cannot be trademarked.

23 May 2001
OFI serves First Set of Discovery request on OIF.

17 December 2001
OIF replies to the first set of Discovery

March 2002 
OIF submits discovery request

May 2002
OFI replies to the discovery request of OIF 


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