Sobha Singh’s kin resent govt use of painting sans nod

Family members of late Sobha Singh, the legendary artist who created paintings of many Sikh Gurus, have objected to the use of his painting of Guru Hargobind without their authorisation.

Grandson of Sobha Singh Hirday Paul Singh, while talking to The Tribune, said what was more appalling was that the painting had been used today by the Punjab Government without giving credit to Sobha Singh. “We have no objection to the use of the painting by the Punjab Government. We are not demanding any financial benefits from the government for the use of the painting. However, the government officials concerned should have the courtesy of formally seeking permission for the use of the painting in the form of photo from the Sobha Singh’s family that holds the copyright for the paintings. Besides they should not remove the signature of legendary artist from the painting circulated, thus denying him the credit of creating it,” he said.

Hirday Paul Singh, in a letter to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, has alleged that the Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Punjab, has unauthorisedly used a painting of Guru Hargobind Sahib by the eminent artist Sobha Singh in various social media platforms today.

He further stated in the letter to the CM that this artwork, registered under the Copyright Act with the Government of India, had all publishing rights reserved with the family. Its use without permission, along with the removal of the artist’s name, constituted a clear case of copyright infringement.

We request you to take appropriate action against those responsible for this unauthorised and surreptitious act. It is deeply regrettable that such disregard has been shown toward the legacy of Sobha Singh ji, a revered figure and State Artist honoured by the Punjab Government in 1973.

Given the long-standing cordial relationship between Sobha Singh ji and later his family and the Government of Punjab, we would have gladly permitted the use of the painting if approached formally. We trust this oversight will not be repeated in future, Hirday Paul Singh has written to the Punjab CM.

Additional Director, Public Relations Department, Punjab, Harjit Grewal, said he had no knowledge who shared the painting of Guru Hargobind on social media platforms of the government.

Punjab