"Never expected such a debate": IIT Guwahati professor reacts to Tamil Nadu’s new rupee logo

Following the Tamil Nadu government's introduction of a new rupee logo in its state budget, Professor Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam, the designer of the official Indian rupee symbol, has shared his views on the development.

Speaking on the matter, Professor Dharmalingam, who is associated with IIT Guwahati, stated that he is not fully aware of the rationale behind the Tamil Nadu government's decision but acknowledged that the state may have its own perspectives and justifications for the change.

Recalling the origins of the rupee symbol, he mentioned that he designed it 15 years ago after winning a competition initiated by the Central government. Since then, the symbol has been widely adopted across the country.

Expressing his thoughts on the ongoing debate surrounding the new rupee logo, he remarked, "I never expected such a discussion to arise. It has taken an unexpected turn, and now there are many concerns being raised about the symbol itself." Despite the controversy, he reiterated his happiness and pride in being the creator of the widely recognized rupee symbol.

Ahead of budget presentation on March 14, the Tamil Nadu government has replaced the official Devanagari-inspired Rupee symbol with the Tamil letter for ‘rupees’ in the state budget logo. The new logo, carrying the phrase “Ellorkkum Ellaam” (Everything for Everyone), was officially released by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin’s office on Thursday afternoon.

Chief Minister Stalin also shared a teaser of the upcoming budget on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing the government’s commitment to ensuring inclusive development across all sections of society. His post was accompanied by hashtags such as #DravidianModel and #TNBudget2025.

Unlike the budgets of 2022-23 and 2023-24, which prominently featured the Rupee symbol, this year's logo conspicuously omits it. Notably, the Rupee symbol was designed by an IIT-Guwahati professor, who is also the son of a DMK leader. This marks the first instance of a state government not using the national currency symbol in an official capacity.

The move comes amid ongoing tensions between the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre over language policies. The state has long opposed the three-language formula prescribed in the National Education Policy (NEP), arguing that it imposes Hindi on Tamil speakers. Tamil Nadu continues to uphold its two-language policy (Tamil and English) and has been vocal against what it perceives as cultural and linguistic imposition by the Union government.