Globally, currency notes of a nation, display the image of the founding fathers or significant and prominent figures who helped shape the face of the nation. For example, the US dollar features George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, while Pakistan’s currency note showcases Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and China displays a picture of Mao Zedong.
In India, for more than five decades, Mahatma Gandhi has been the face of currency notes. Although Bapu’s notes have been in circulation for many years, the practice of displaying his picture on the note was not adopted immediately after the country gained independence in 1947. It was in 1996 when the portrait of Gandhiji became a feature on all denominations of Indian currency notes.
On this Gandhi Jayanti. Let’s peek back at history and learn how and why Gandhiji’s portrait was chosen for Indian currency notes, and why other leaders’ pictures are not used instead.
Portrait of King George VI on Indian Currency Note
Currency notes during the colonial rule in India exhibited the portrait of King George VI. Post-independence, his image was replaced by the national emblem, the Lion Capital of Ashoka from Sarnath. It was 1969 when Mahatma Gandhi made his first appearance on currency notes, in a commemorative series celebrating his 100th birth anniversary. In these notes, however, we do not see the portrait of Gandhi as visible on today’s currency notes. Instead, those notes bore the picture of Gandhi seated against the backdrop of Sevagram Ashram.
Before Gandhiji was featured on Indian banknotes, the country’s currency notes displayed the Lion Capital of Ashoka. Many notes also showcased some notable landmarks of the country. For instance- the Rs 20 note displayed the Konark Temple of Odisha, while the Rs 1,000 note exhibited the Brihadeeswara Temple, and the Rs 5,000 note carried the image of the Gateway of India.
Gandhi seated against the backdrop of Sevagram Ashram- the image used on Indian Banknote
It was in October 1987 that for the first time, the smiling portrait of Gandhiji was used on Rs 500 notes. Bapu’s picture has science been used in many denominations. Finally, in 1996, the Mahatma Gandhi series was introduced, replacing all previously issued notes.
Gandhiji alongside British Politician Lord Frederick William Pethick-Lawrence
If you wondered whether the image of Gandhiji on Indian banknotes is a caricature, then let us clear the confusion for you: it isn’t. As reported by The Indian Express, the image is a cropped version of the iconic 1946 photograph showing Gandhiji alongside British Politician Lord Frederick William Pethick-Lawrence. And why was this particular photo chosen- you may ask? Well, because Gandhiji’s portrait displayed a vibrant smile on the photograph and so it was deemed perfect to be used for the nation’s currency notes.
Indian banknotes are designed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s Department of Currency Management. To finalise these designs, approval is needed from both the Government of Indian and central bank. The RBI recognised in the 1990s that the conventional security features in currency were not compatible enough due to the advances in photography, printing, and scanning. It was relieved that the use of human faces on banknotes would reduce the chances of forging rather than inanimate objects. In 1996, the Ashoka Pillar was replaced by the ‘Mahatma Gandhi Series’. Bapu’s photo was chosen because of his widespread national appeal.
India is a country full of diversity, and in this nation, there are only a few prominent figures who obtain as much uniform respect as Mahatma Gandhi- an icon who is admired beyond the boundaries of political lines and ideologies. Furthermore, The RBI included modern security features like windowed security thread, intaglio printing, and latent images.
Following demonetisation, in 2016, The RBI brought fresh ‘Mahatma Gandhi New Series’ to the market. While the banknotes had their colours changed, they still used the same portrait of Mahatma Gandhi along with the ‘Swacch Bharat Abhiyan’ logo on the opposite side.
There have been demands to include portraits of notable leaders and deities on the country’s currency notes. The RBI has however refused to use the picture of any other leader in place of Gandhiji’s portrait on the bank notes.
During a 2014 lecture, Raghuram Rajan- the RBI governor, was asked repeatedly whether images of prominent figures like poet Rabindranath Tagore, or scientist Homi J. Bhaba could be used on the currency notes. He replied, “There are many remarkable Indians, but Gandhi stands head and shoulders above everyone else. While many great individuals could be featured, I believe that selecting anyone else would likely lead to controversy.”
In the same year, then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley informed the Lok Sabha that an RBI committee had decided against featuring any other national leader's image on banknotes, asserting that no other personality could better embody the spirit of the nation than Mahatma Gandhi.
On this Gandhi Jayanti, let’s embrace the thoughts, ideologies and teachings of Bapu, and strive towards the betterment of the nation.
