'Tamil Nadu’s replacement of Rupee symbol is not an insult'; Udayakumar refuses to criticise Tamil Nadu govt over controversy

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has sparked controversy by replacing the Indian Rupee symbol with the Tamil alphabet 'ரூ' (Roo) in the logo for its 2025-26 state budget. The budget was presented in the Assembly today, but the state government has yet to explain the reason behind the change.

The Indian Rupee symbol, introduced 16 years ago, was designed by Tamil Nadu native D. Udayakumar, who won a national competition to create the symbol that is currently in use. Amid ongoing tensions between the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and the central government, Udayakumar, the son of former DMK legislator N. Dharmalingam, has responded to the controversy surrounding the logo change.

Udayakumar defended the Tamil Nadu government's decision, stating that the replacement of the Rupee symbol with the Tamil script 'ரூ' was not intended as an insult to him. "Not all our designs are successful or appreciated. People are free to criticize us, and we may also face criticism. As a designer, I take criticism positively and move forward. I do not view this as disrespect or disregard for my work," Udayakumar said in an interview with national media. He also clarified that he had followed the instructions given to him during the design process.

BJP state president K. Annamalai, who criticized the DMK's move, referenced Udayakumar’s role in creating the Rupee symbol. The logo change was first seen in a teaser for the budget released by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on the X platform, which included the phrase, "Ensuring the overall development of Tamil Nadu and the development of all sections of society," alongside hashtags like "Dravidian Model" and "TN Budget 2025."

The Indian Rupee symbol had been used in the DMK government’s previous two budgets. The BJP, however, has strongly condemned the move, with party spokespeople claiming that the change reflects Tamil Nadu's distinctiveness from the rest of India.