Pandit Ravi Shankar playing the guitar? SBI removes social media post after backlash over image

Image was put up on the bank’s social media platforms on 7 April to commemorate the late sitar maestro's birth anniversary. Some users alleged that picture was AI-generated.

SBI's social media post to commemorate Pandit Ravi Shankar's birth anniversary shared on 7 April | Instagram/@hcmaeofficial

New Delhi: The State Bank of India (SBI) has deleted a social media post saluting the late sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar on his birth anniversary, after users pointed out that the man in the visual was playing a guitar.

The person shown in the post had a resemblance to the musical luminary, but netizens were not convinced. Some slammed the photo as AI-generated — ThePrint cannot verify this — and one said they had been unable to find any image of Ravi Shankar playing the guitar.

The image was put up on the bank’s social media platforms on 7 April to commemorate Ravi Shankar’s birth anniversary. It had the caption: “SBI pays tribute to the Sitar Maestro and Bharat Ratna Awardee Pandit Ravi Shankar” along with the hashtag “SBICelebratesTheLegends”.

Users, including journalist Sucheta Dalal and author Salil Tripathi, were aghast that the bank could make such an “error”.

Seriously?? @TheOfficialSBI ? https://t.co/Yvh9I5ToF4

— Sucheta Dalal (@suchetadalal) April 11, 2024

Tripathi wrote on X: “When @TheOfficialSBI can’t tell a sitar apart from a guitar, nor know what Pt Ravi Shankar looks like.” He also shared a previous instance of misidentification, when MTV had mistaken Pt. Ravi Shankar for spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

When @TheOfficialSBI can't tell sitar apart from a guitar, nor know what Pt Ravi Shankar looks like….. pic.twitter.com/bLtOxKC4uz

— saliltripathi (वो बनाये परिवार, हमें पसंद रविवार) (@saliltripathi) April 10, 2024

Some netizens also taunted the SBI over the controversy surrounding the electoral bonds scheme, which the Supreme Court scrapped in February as “unconstitutional”.

The bank was the recipient of political donations by individuals and corporations — a scheme touted by the Narendra Modi government as an alternative to cash donations to enhance transparency in funding. The top court had also chastised the SBI for initially not disclosing complete data about the scheme in spite of its directive.

One user drew parallels between the confusion over the musician’s image and the bank’s handling of the bonds issue. “I believe they are still seeing stars after the Electoral Bonds,” wrote @kr_rajeevkumar. Another user @sahaprd said: “They are busy with electoral bonds. They are not even taking lunch breaks. Give them a break.”

they are busy with electoral bonds. they are not even taking lunch breaks. give them a break.

— pradip (@sahaprd) April 11, 2024

 

The SBI removed the post after the backlash but did not put out a statement or explanation.