Banknotes in most countries often feature influential figures, be it George Washington gracing US dollars, Mohammad Ali Jinnah on Pakistan’s notes, and Mao Zedong in China. In India, Mahatma Gandhi’s face has become synonymous with its currency. But do you know, after India's independence in 1947, the Father of Nation wasn't the first choice for Indian currency notes?
In fact, Gandhi's image was initially denied for use on banknotes. Then what did Indian currency notes feature? According to RBI, the process of selecting visuals for the new notes was a smooth one, but Gandhi’s portrait was initially passed over.
In post-independence years, India continued to use notes featuring the British monarch. Later, designs featuring Gandhi were prepared to replace the King’s portrait. However, the final consensus favoured the Lion Capital of Ashoka from Sarnath.
For years, India’s banknotes highlighted the country’s rich heritage and progress. The notes from the 1950s and 60s featured images of tigers, deer, the Hirakud Dam, the Aryabhatta satellite, and the Brihadeeswara Temple. It wasn’t until 1969, during the celebration of Gandhi’s birth centenary, that his image made its first appearance on a currency note, showing him seated with his Sevagram Ashram in the background.
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In 1987, when the Rs 500 denomination was reintroduced by the Rajiv Gandhi government, Gandhi’s portrait appeared on the new Rs. 500 notes for the first time. The central bank launched the Mahatma Gandhi Series in 1996, featuring enhanced security features like watermarks and security threads. This marked a significant moment in India’s currency history, as Gandhi became the permanent face on all denominations of Indian notes.
