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A New Symbol for the Indian Rupee


At long last, the Indian Rupee has a symbol! The symbol promotes the currency to a small club of elite world currencies which have been assigned a symbol of their own; the group includes the American dollar, euro, British pound and Japanese yen. The Indian government announced the search for a symbol for the rupee in 2009, opening up the search nationally and receiving in excess of 3000 responses. Five designs were shortlisted and on July 15th, at the Union Cabinet meeting, the Cabinet selected a design by D Udaya Kumar, an Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in Guwahati. Udaya, born in Tamil Nadu, specialises in graphics and is also the designer of a Tamil font named Parashakti, as well as a book on Tamil typography, which he both designed and wrote.


 



The symbol for the Indian rupee


 

The brief was that the sign should ‘reflect and capture the Indian ethos and culture’. Udaya’s design is based on the Indian tricolour (the three horizontal bands of colour on the Indian flag). At the same time, the two parallel lines also bring the symbol in line with those of other world currencies. In addition, the symbol is also an amalgam of the Devanagari letter 'ra' and the Latinate 'R'.

The symbol will now be used officially, with immediate effect within India, and globally within 18 to 24 months. In turn, various new solutions for the usage of the symbol have been developed, such as an API which facilitates the use of the symbol on the internet. Desktop users can also download a rupee font provided by Foradian Technologies.

Now is a very exciting time to visit India – the economy is booming and entrepreneurial spirit is pervasive. If you would like more information on visiting India, please contact Jessica, James or Amelia.



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- Mr Richard Stoughton, Sri Lanka
Ampersand provided a bespoke and flexible holiday, tailored to my every whim. Their highly professional staff had only one goal which was to arrange an exceptional holiday and some unforgettable experiences in India. I have no hesitation in fully recommending them and they will be the first company I approach in the future - 10/10
- Anonymous, India
Without question, you put together the best trip I have ever taken. We were shown around like visiting dignitaries, the hotels were fantastic and the itinerary was just right. Everybody I know will hear about how amazing Ampersand is!
- Leslie Siben, India
Difficult to articulate just how good the service from you and your team really was. We know you will continue to do well and hope we have the chance to seek your assistance again before long.
- Mr & Mrs Manson, North India
So many highlights to choose from! The hotels were amazing but Maya Villa was a highlight… I loved just hanging out in the hammock reading my book and watching the peacocks chase the cows!
- Krista Weir, Sri Lanka
I had a very lovely time and was looked after splendidly. My first visit to India could not have been better, save for being longer! But I shall return at some point and I shall look to you to make the arrangements.
- Matthew Nicklin, North India
I would recommend Ampersand without any hesitation!!! The best travel agent that I’ve ever had. Everything – from the individual care and attention in planning the trip, through to the efficiency of the agents on the ground in India – was handled brilliantly. An absolutely first-class service all round!
- Matthew Annable, Rajasthan, India
I thought the Ampersand team was outstanding. We couldn’t have hoped for anything more.
- Mr Geoffrey Johnson, India
Ampersand’s preparation, attention to detail and interaction before and during our trip show exactly why good travel agents have a role in today’s internet booking age. They were a delight to deal with!
- Mr David Wallace, North India
We had a wonderful holiday - everything was perfect. Thank you for helping us to make a thoughtful plan to enjoy and make most out of our trip. The places we visited, the guides, the transportation and driver, the hotels selected... Everything was great!
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