Tamil Nadu Replaces Rupee Symbol Designed By Tamilian. How He Reacted

The designer of the rupee symbol (₹) has reacted to the controversy over the Tamil Nadu government replacing the sign with the Tamil letter "Ru" in promotional material for the state budget. D Udaya Kumar, a design expert who had visualized the ₹ symbol as part of a contest back in 2009, spoke to NDTV over the controversy after the state BJP chief flagged a Tamilian had designed the symbol, to target the state's DMK government.

Mr Kumar said he was proud of his creation but refused to snub the state government and left it to them to provide a clarification. He said the decision did not impact him since a designer must be ready to face such challenges in his work.

Did he find the state's move to be an insult to his work? He said no.

"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," Mr Kumar told NDTV.

Read: "Designed By Tamilian": K Annamalai's "Stupid" Barb At DMK Amid Rupee Row

He said his only goal at the time of designing the symbol was to fulfil the design brief he was provided and keep it simple for wide usage.

"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," added Mr Kumar.

K Annamalai, who heads Tamil Nadu BJP, recalled Mr Kumar's contribution yesterday and called the DMK "stupid" for not realizing the symbol was "designed by a Tamilian", who happened to be the son of its former MLA. The DMK countered this by saying it is not against the rupee symbol but is seeking to promote the Tamil language.

Mr Kumar, however, called it a mere coincidence that he happened to be a (former) DMK MLA's son. His father, N Dharmalingam, was an MLA before he was born, he said.

Asked about the controversy over the National Education Policy (NEP), which is central to the 'Hindi imposition' row in Tamil Nadu, Udaya Kumar said there are different views and opinions, and that he would like to limit himself to the design aspect.

Read: Tamil Nadu Replaces Rupee Symbol In State Budget Amid Massive Row With Centre

Mr Kumar has a master's degree in visual communication and a PhD from the Industrial Design Centre of IIT Bombay. In 2009, he won a national contest to design a symbol for the rupee. The symbol he designed was adopted nationally in 2010 during the Manmohan Singh regime.

Explaining his creation that time, the designer had said he blended Devanagari 'Ra' for rupiah and the Roman 'R' to arrive at the symbol. He said he wanted to ensure that the sign had a universal appeal but stayed true to the Indian culture.

The rupee symbol controversy exploded yesterday after Chief Minister MK Stalin shared the new logo online amid a battle with the BJP-led centre over the NEP, the education policy that it claims would "impose Hindi" on the Tamil-speaking natives of the state.

Read: Promotes Secessionist Sentiments": N Sitharaman Slams DMK's Rupee Move

Speaking to NDTV, Mr Annamalai said that "Ru" is a Tamil letter used while writing in the language, but it cannot be a replacement for the rupee symbol that is used nationally. He also alleged the decision to replace it was driven by the DMK's desire to widen the "language war" with the centre.

The central government also slammed the decision with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying it promotes "secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride". It is a "completely avoidable example of language and regional chauvinism," she said, questioning why the DMK didn't make its reservations known earlier.