March 15, 2025 11:43 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Mark Carney takes oath as new Canada Prime Minister | Man attacks people with iron rod inside Golden Temple in Amritsar, leaves 5 injured | Not disrespectful: Tamilian who designed rupee symbol reacts to Stalin govt's currency move | In a setback for Donald Trump, US judge orders federal agencies to rehire fired workers: Report | 'We will thwart conspiracies hatched by Centre': Revanth Reddy on delimitation exercise | Chennai doctor, his wife along with two sons die by suicide due to huge debt: Cops | Amid language debate, Tamil Nadu drops rupee symbol in state budget | Scientist killed in assault by neighbour over parking argument in Mohali | British woman tourist raped in Delhi hotel by man she befriended on social media | Gold smuggling case: Court restrains media from publishing, telecasting defamatory statements against Ranya Rao
Rupee Row
Rupee symbol designer Prof. Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam in 2012. Photo courtesy: wikipedia.org

Not disrespectful: Tamilian who designed rupee symbol reacts to Stalin govt's currency move

| @indiablooms | Mar 14, 2025, at 11:50 am

Chennai/IBNS: Design expert and IIT professor Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam, who designed the rupee symbol, has reacted to the Tamil Nadu government's controversial decision to replace the sign with a Tamil word, media reports said.

Udaya, who is also the son of former DMK MLA N. Dharmalingam, told NDTV, "Not all our designs are successful or appreciated. You may also face criticism.

"As a designer, you always take them positively, learn from them, and move on. I do not see this (move) as disrespectful or a disregard of my work."

"I was only concerned about the task (in hand) at that time. I was trying to address the competition brief and fulfill that. I also wanted to create something that's universal and simple, which had an impact and was meaningful. I never thought a thing (controversy) would happen today," he added.

The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday dropped the rupee symbol, which was presented by the India government in 2010, in the promotional material of the state budget 2025-2026 amid the ongoing language debate in the state.

Hitting out at the DMK government in the state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s state president K Annamalai wrote on X, "The DMK Government's State Budget for 2025-26 replaces the Rupee Symbol designed by a Tamilian, which was adopted by the whole of Bharat and incorporated into our Currency.

"Thiru Udhay Kumar, who designed the symbol, is the son of a former DMK MLA. How stupid can you become, Thiru @mkstalin?"

The DMK, led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, countered the criticism saying the move is not illegal.

Language war rages in Tamil Nadu

As the 'language war' between Tamil Nadu and the Centre continues, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday accused the BJP of trying to 'impose Hindi' on the southern state in the guise of a National Education Policy and called it a plan to develop Hindi rather than India.

Stalin has fired sharp attacks on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, whom he last month accused of 'blackmail' by threatening to withhold funds and this week said was "arrogant" and "acting like a king".

On Wednesday evening, Stalin at an event in Tiruvallur, said, "The National Education Policy is not education policy... it is a saffronisation policy."

"The policy was not created to develop India... but to develop Hindi. We are opposing this policy as it will completely destroy the Tamil Nadu education system," he said.

He alleged that the Centre has been denying Rs 2,150 crore in funds for state-run schools until Tamil Nadu implements the education policy.

Stalin claimed the Centre was acting "like a dictatorship to destroy the rights of states and the federal structure".

"You said you would give importance to states (when Mr Modi was campaigning to become the PM). But what have you done so far to give importance to federalism?" he asked, also accusing the BJP of taking "political revenge" for electoral defeats in Tamil Nadu in 2021 and 2024.

"We are asking for our share of taxes... which we paid with our efforts. What is the problem with this? Is it fair to threaten and not release funds for the welfare of 43 lakh schools? Because we don't accept NEP, they are refusing to release funds that belong to Tamil Nadu..."

"We would have welcomed NEP if it brought everyone into education (i.e., increased school enrolment) But NEP removes people from education (i.e., the DMK claims it will disincentive Tamil students as Hindi will be 'forced' on them'). That is why we are opposing it..." he said.

The row over 'Hindi imposition' - a sensitive topic particularly in Tamil Nadu, where 'anti-Hindi' riots broke out in the 1960s and which has always been opposed to the language being forced on it - re-erupted last month with the BJP-led Centre pushing its new policy.

The DMK, and its ally, the Congress, have argued that Tamil Nadu, the second-largest state economy, has flourished under a two-language system that teaches Tamil and English.

The BJP, though, maintains its formula will benefit Tamil people who travel to other states.

It has said no student will be forced to learn Hindi as the third language and has counter-accused the DMK of politicising the language issue ahead of next year's Assembly election.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Close menu