Indian rupee symbol – ₹ has given the Indian rupee a visual recognition Internationally. Previously only abbreviations were in use to symbolize the Indian Rupee like Rs or Re. In 2010, the Government of India announced the Competition to design the Indian Currency Symbol. The Design of Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam got the cabinet’s approval from more than 3000 entries.
The newly designed Rupee Symbol given the Indian Currency a different Identity that makes it distinct from Pakistan, Indonesia and Sri Lankan Rupee.
Before this there were no official Indian currency symbol adapted by Government of India. World used to write the abbreviation of Rupee as Rs. later government of India think it and finally “₹” finalized as the symbol of Rupee.
Here are some interesting facts about the ₹ symbol that shows how much thought went into designing it:
1. Combination of Devnagri ‘Ra’ and Roman ‘R’
The Indian Rupee Symbol is a mixture of Devnagri Ra and Roman R. The letters taken from the word ‘Rupiah’ in ‘Hindi’ and ‘Rupees’ in ‘English’.
2. Shiro Rekha – The horizontal line of Devnagri script
Shiro Rekha is the unique feature of Devnagri Script, While writing in Hindi a horizontal line (Shiro Rekha) drawn in each time. The Rupee Symbol designed by taken care of this feature of Indian Script.
3. The tricolor – Representing Indian Flag
The ₹ has two horizontal lines with equal negative white space between them. It creates a background effect of three stripes (tricolor) that subtly represent the Indian national flag flying at the top.
4. Equality sign
The two horizontal lines of the newly adopted symbol represent the arithmetic sign ‘equal to’ that signifies a balanced economy.
5. Harmony in design
Udaya Kumar designed the symbol by keeping in mind the current symbols of other currencies. It looks like a part of the symbol family while retaining its individuality at the same time.
