Meet Udaya Kumar, DMK leader's son whose ₹ symbol is dropped by DMK govt

The rupee (₹) symbol was introduced less than 15 years ago, chosen from thousands of designs. Incidentally, the design that was selected was created by the son of a former DMK MLA

The Tamil Nadu government, led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), on Thursday chose to exclude the official Indian rupee (₹) symbol from its state Budget for 2025. Instead, the government has introduced a new logo featuring the Tamil script representation of the currency.

 

The rupee (₹) symbol was introduced less than 15 years ago, chosen from thousands of designs. Incidentally, the design that was selected was created by Dr D Udaya Kumar, who is the son of former DMK MLA N Dharmalingam.

 

Who is D Udaya Kumar?

 

The Indian rupee (₹) symbol was officially adopted in 2010 following a nationwide contest organised by the Indian government. The winning design was crafted by Dr D Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam, a graphic designer and typographer with a deep interest in Indian scripts. His design was selected from over 3,300 entries, with the aim of creating a unique identity for the Indian currency.

 

Dr Udaya Kumar studied at the Industrial Design Centre at IIT Bombay, where he developed his expertise in typography and graphic design. His rupee symbol design was unveiled by the Indian government on July 15, 2010.

 

Following his success, Dr Udaya Kumar continued to contribute to the fields of design and academia. He has created logos for institutions such as IIT Hyderabad and the National Testing Agency. A Tamil speaker, he has extensively worked with the Tamil script and focused his research on Indian typography, particularly its historical and cultural significance.

 

Since 2019, Dr Udaya Kumar has been serving as an Associate Professor at IIT Guwahati, where he continues his work in typography and design.

 

What does the rupee symbol (₹) represent?

 

In an interview with The Hindu, Dr Udaya Kumar shared that he drew inspiration from India's cultural and linguistic diversity while designing the rupee symbol. His passion for typography and Indian scripts played a crucial role in shaping his vision for a distinct yet globally legible currency symbol.

 

His research led him to blend elements from Devanagari and Latin scripts, ensuring broad recognition. The two horizontal strokes at the top of the symbol, inspired by the Indian tricolour, symbolise economic stability and progress.

 

How was the rupee symbol officially adopted?

 

After its selection, the rupee symbol was approved by the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Economic Affairs in 2010. The goal was to integrate the symbol into the Indian financial system within six months and achieve global recognition within two years.

 

To facilitate international use, the Unicode Technical Committee assigned the symbol the code U+20B9 on August 10, 2010, enabling its inclusion in digital and financial systems worldwide. Major tech companies, including Microsoft and Apple, incorporated the symbol into their keyboards within a year.

 

What symbol did India use before Udaya Kumar's design?

 

Before the introduction of the rupee symbol, India used abbreviations like "Rs" and "Re" to denote its currency. The new design integrated elements from the Devanagari script (the character "र" for "Ra") and the Roman letter "R," creating a uniquely Indian yet globally recognisable identity.

 

Why did DMK govt in Tamil Nadu drop rupee symbol?

 

The DMK government's decision to drop the rupee symbol by Dr Udaya Kumar comes amid its tussle with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government. This decision is being seen as an extension of Tamil Nadu's opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP), which the DMK alleges is an attempt to impose Hindi on the state.

 

Tamil Nadu's decision to replace the rupee symbol with a Tamil-script representation is more than just a typographical change—it is a political and cultural statement. By adopting a new symbol, the state government underscores its emphasis on linguistic identity and resistance to centralised policies.