The Delhi High Court granted Sunil Gavaskar legal protection over the commercial use of his name, image and persona after his likeness was misused on obscene and misleading digital platforms.
In a landmark decision, the Delhi High Court has granted Sunil Gavaskar legal protection for his personality and publicity rights, making him the first Indian sportsperson to receive such a ruling.
The order prevents the unauthorized commercial use of his name, image, voice, and persona, including by AI and deepfake technologies.
This urgent intervention came after the cricket legend’s likeness was found on websites hosting obscene and misleading content. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora directed that such material be removed within 72 hours.
The court was told that, despite earlier directives for social media platforms to act, violations of Gavaskar’s identity persisted online. His petition reaffirms that personality rights grant an individual control over the commercial use of their own identity.
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Gavaskar now joins a list of celebrities from Indian cinema and media, such as Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who have secured similar injunctions. The ruling highlights the growing legal challenges public figures face against digital misuse in the modern era.
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