The much-awaited symbol for the rupee is over. The Cabinet has selected the one which is an amalgamation of the Devanagri ‘Ra’ and the Roman ‘R’ without the stem. Addressing a press conference, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ms Ambika Soni, said it would soon be incorporated in all spheres of economy.
It will now be at par with the US dollar and British pound sterling, among a few other currencies that have a clear distinguishing identity. Last year, the Finance Ministry had invited design suggestions from the public for the currency. The IIT post-graduate, Mr D. Uday Kumar, has designed the new symbol.
The currency emblem, the Ministry had said, should represent the historical and cultural ethos as widely accepted across the country and should be applicable to the standard keyboard. According to sources, the Cabinet examined five designs before making the final selection. Last month, the matter was deferred after the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, asked for more time to go through the shortlisted signs.
Source: Exim News Service, New Delhi, 15 July 2010