 "Amazon CEO 'invades India' on Fortune cover as Lord Vishnu; draws flak from Hindu bodies")
The cover of the January issue of Fortune magazine carrying a illustration of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos resembling Hindu God Vishnu has drawn outrage over “trivialisation of their venerated deity”. The magazine’s international edition features a story about the company’s expansion in India, with the lead story titled ‘Amazon Invades India’, which talks about how Bezos “aims to conquer the next trillion-dollar market”, reports the Hindustan Times.
The cover art was done by Sydney, Australia-based illustrator Nigel Buchanan, whose clients have included the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time and MTV, reports Geek Wire. Rajan Zed, a Hindu statesman in Nevada, said that the illustration trivialised the venerated Hindu deity.
#Fortune's Jan 1 intl ed cover juxtaposes #Amazon CEO #JeffBezos as likeness of #LordVishnu, trivializes our venerated deity & is upsetting.
— Rajan Zed (@rajanzed) January 12, 2016
In a press release, Zed called it an unnecessary dragging of a Hindu deity to prove their point of view, urged Fortune to publish a disclaimer about this on its website and publish the next issue with a proper explanation of Lord Vishnu and Hinduism; in addition to a formal signed apology by Time Inc chairman Joseph A Ripp, Fortune publisher Eric Danetz, editor Alan Murray, creative director Michael Lawton and art director Michael Solita. The illustration was initially brought to attention by Anil Dash — an entrepreneur and technologist who posted a series of tweets after artist Nigel Buchanan released its first look, reports CNN IBN.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsSince Dash’s tweets, Fortune editor-in-chief Alan Murray has already issued an apology to “those who may have been offended”, intially on Twitter itself, before releasing an official apology statement on Fortune’s website.
Fair point, Anil. Apologies to those offended. @anildash
— Alan Murray (@alansmurray) January 10, 2016
Just a few days back, Indian limited over cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was issued a non-bailable warrant by a local court in Anantpur, Andhra Pradesh in relation to a magazine cover in April, 2013 that depicted him as Lord Vishnu.
MS Dhoni gets relief from Supreme Court over portrayal as Lord Vishnu! - http://t.co/fgetIlJrDr Vidya News Net... pic.twitter.com/YJwJbLA3do
— emedia99 (@emedia99) September 14, 2015
The magazine cover, for a story titled ‘God of Big Deals’, had an image of Dhoni morphed as the Hindu deity Vishnu, displaying various commercial brands, like ‘Lays’, and also holding a shoe in his hands. These incidents are far from unique in India. From MF Hussain to Buchanan, there has always been expected outrage following any alternate depiction of a religious deity. And with criticism come calls for bans and further curbs on free speech. We can only hope such a suit will not follow once the magazine hits the stands in the country.
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