LIC issues warning over misuse of its iconic logo

Mumbai:The 65-year-old public sector insurer, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC),which is soon going for its IPO, has issued a public warning over the unauthorized use or misuse of its iconic logo by anybody.

According a post in its Twitter handle on Friday, the LIC has barred any websites, publishing houses or digital entities from publishing its logo without the prior permission.

The LIC warning on social media states: "LIC Public Alerts - Unauthorized use of LIC's Logo. LIC logos cannot be used in any website, publishing material and digital post. Strict legal action - civil and criminal - will be taken against such person."

The logo consists of a flame symbolizing 'life' with two shielding hands of 'life insurance' indicating its protection, with the Sanskrit legend below it - "Yogakshemam Vahmyaham", derived from the Bhagwad Gita, and the LIC headquarters at Nariman Point in south Mumbai is also named 'Yogakshema'.

Established in 1956, the LIC - which commands a staggering 68.90 percent market share in the country - plans to go in for an IPO around October this year, as announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech in last year.

Officering a huge portfolio of insurance schemes and short or long-term investment opportunities for the masses, sources in LIC say that even some unscrupulous agents, self-styled insurance advisors and outsiders have been found allegedly flaunting its logo illegally to lure gullible customers.