Today, for most Indians the face of the Father of The Nation, is the face of our currency notes. In fact, many people jokingly refer to notes as Gandhi.
But this was not how it always was. Immediately after India gained independence, the Reserve Bank of India continued issuing the notes during the transition of power from the British crown to Indian leaders. According to the RBI website “Government of India brought out the new design Re 1 note in 1949,”. “Symbols for independent India had to be chosen. At the outset it was felt that the King’s portrait be replaced by a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. Designs were prepared to that effect. In the final analysis, the consensus moved to the choice of The Ashoka Lion Emblem in lieu of the Gandhi Portrait. The new design of notes were largely along earlier lines”, the site further says.
The father of the nation finally found himself on the Indian currency note for the first time in 1969 on a Rs 100/- denomination note.
His face appeared on Rs 500 notes for the first time during the Rajiv Gandhi administration. In the middle of the 1990s, the central bank issued a series of notes featuring the face of the Mahatma, which came to be known as the ‘Mahatma Gandhi series’. This is the same series that is in use to this day.
Today there is chatter about new faces being introduced on our currency notes. Who all, in your opinion are most suited for this honour? Do type your opinions in the comments section below to let everyone know what the “Common Man” really feels!
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