How Did Various Pictures Get Printed On The Indian Currency?

Delhi, 27th October 2022: A debate has erupted over Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s advocacy of printing photos of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi with Mahatma Gandhi on the Indian currency rupee. At the same time, photographs of satellites, dams, and even gardens have been printed in the country on different denomination notes.

After independence, the one rupee note was first printed in the country. This note was issued as Indian currency on 12th August 1949. The picture of the Ashoka Pillar was published on this note.

The RBI printed Mahatma Gandhi’s photo on the note for the first time in his birth centenary year, 1969. That photo was designed for the birth centenary memorial and behind that photo was also the Sevagram Ashram.

In June this year, it was revealed that the RBI is considering issuing notes bearing the photographs of Rabindranath Tagore and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. However, later the RBI denied this.

Paper currency was introduced in India in 1770 when for the first time, the Bank of India printed the rupee in the form of notes. Then these notes were printed in Calcutta. Notes were printed for the first time in the British Raj in 1917. Permission was given to print notes in Nashik in 1928.

1000, 5000 and 10,000 notes were also printed in 1954. On 1000 notes – Tanjore Temple, 5000 notes – Gateway of India, and 10,000 – Lion Capital, Ashoka Pillar were printed.

After the release of one rupee note in 1949 after independence, many changes were made in it. Pictures of the Gateway of India and Brihadeshwara Temple were also printed on this note.

Aryabhatta satellite on two notes, agricultural mechanization on five notes, a peacock on 10 notes, chariot wheel on 20 notes, Shalimar Bagh and Hirakud Dam were printed on the 100 notes.

The Reserve Bank of India was established on 1st April 1935. In January 1938, nearly three years after its establishment, the RBI issued the first five-rupee note. The note had a picture of ‘King George VI’ printed on it.