India, April 21 -- Fans of the popular Hindi TV show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (TMKOC) are thrilled with the name of the robot dog introduced in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year. The robotic dog, now officially named Champak, is being seen as a tribute to the beloved character of Champaklal Gada, played by actor Amit Bhatt, who is the father of Jethalal in the long-running comedy show.

The name was decided through an online fan poll conducted by the organisers and was formally announced via social media just before the high-profile match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday. According to IPL's official statement, the name Champak emerged as the fan-favourite, winning the poll, and sparking a ...