Tamil Nadu Replaces ₹ Symbol with Tamil ‘ரூ’ in Budget
Tamil Nadu Replaces ₹ Symbol with Tamil 'ரூ' in Budget
Chennai: Tamil Nadu’s 2025-26 state budget has replaced the Indian rupee symbol (₹) with the Tamil script “ரூ” to represent the currency. Chief Minister M K Stalin announced the decision, saying it was to resist “Hindi imposition” by the Central government led by the BJP.
Political Controversy
The move has led to a political debate. The Tamil Nadu BJP called the decision “unnecessary and laughable.” Critics pointed out that the ₹ symbol was designed by a Tamilian and was introduced during Manmohan Singh’s government in 2010.
Who Designed the ₹ Symbol?
The rupee symbol (₹) was designed by D Udaya Kumar, a professor at IIT Guwahati. His design was chosen from 3,000 entries and officially adopted on July 15, 2010. Kumar received a ₹2.5 lakh prize for his work.
Meaning Behind the ₹ Design
- The symbol combines the Roman letter ‘R’ and the Devanagari letter ‘Ra’.
- It has two horizontal lines representing the Indian flag and economic equality.
Kumar, the son of former DMK MLA N Dharmalingam, said he is not upset by Tamil Nadu’s decision. “Designs change over time, and not everyone has to accept them,” he told NDTV.
A Symbol of India’s Identity
Despite the change in Tamil Nadu’s budget, the ₹ symbol remains widely used across India and globally as a key part of the country’s financial identity.
