Fri Mar 14 06:09:25 UTC 2025: ## Rupee Symbol Row: Designer Remains Unfazed by Tamil Nadu’s Replacement

**Chennai, India** – The designer of India’s rupee symbol, D Udaya Kumar, has responded calmly to the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to replace the ₹ symbol with the Tamil letter “Ru” in its state budget promotional materials. The move sparked a political firestorm, with the BJP accusing the ruling DMK party of needlessly inflaming linguistic tensions.

Kumar, who won a national competition in 2009 to design the ₹ symbol, told NDTV that while he is proud of his creation, he doesn’t view the state’s action as disrespectful. He emphasized that designers must be prepared for criticism and varying levels of appreciation for their work. He stated his focus at the time was to create a simple, universally understood symbol that also reflected Indian culture.

The controversy erupted after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin unveiled the new logo, coinciding with ongoing tensions with the central government over the National Education Policy (NEP), which the DMK alleges promotes Hindi imposition. BJP state president K Annamalai seized on the issue, highlighting that Kumar, the son of a former DMK MLA, designed the national symbol, accusing the DMK of political shortsightedness.

However, Kumar clarified that his father’s political affiliation is irrelevant to his design work and that the connection is purely coincidental. He also chose to avoid commenting on the NEP debate, focusing instead on the design aspects of the controversy.

The central government strongly condemned the Tamil Nadu government’s action. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticized the move as promoting secessionist sentiments under the guise of regional pride, questioning the DMK’s timing and motivations. The DMK, however, maintains that its intention is to promote the Tamil language and not to reject the national rupee symbol. The debate continues to highlight the complex interplay of politics, language, and national identity in India.

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