‘‘This has reference to the article Imperial Blue that appeared in The Sunday Express Eye on September 8, written by Anoothi Vishal. This refers, of course, only to the section where my name is mentioned under the heading ‘Crest’fallen. ‘‘In the democratic Indian state, it is sad that we are mud-slinging subjects like the one under debate. However, for the sake of clearing the assault made on me, I need to state that my great-grandfather was the maharaja of the erstwhile state of Jodhpur. If this is not proof enough that I belong to a particular family, then I will be happy to facilitate the required information. ‘‘Although I do use Jodhpur as my USP, my crest is not an element of this USP, contrary to what the report has stated. Yes, the crest mentions the name Jodhpur on it, but only because it is a part of my brand name. My company crest, just as any other company logo, is a mere representation of my brand and not ‘‘a piggy back ride’’ to ‘‘cash in on the royal tag’’ as expressed and intended by the report. In fact, if that were my intention, I could conveniently use the ‘‘eagles’’ that feature on the Jodhpur Coat of Arms. ‘‘The article is an attempt to defame and malign the brand and the company image.’’ Raghavendra RathoreJodhpur Reporter Anoothi Vishal replies: The intention of the report was not to malign the brand or the company image in any way. The reference to fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore’s newly introduced crest was just an example of the various ways in which former royals are reinventing themselves and attempting to bring a certain exclusivity to their merchandise. It is regretted that in the report the reference to Rathore stated that he is not ‘‘actually royal,’’ though it did go on to say that he is a cousin of the Jodhpurs.
