Mahatma Gandhi New Series

The Mahatma Gandhi New Series of banknotes are issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as the legal tender of the Indian rupee (), intended to replace the Mahatma Gandhi Series of banknotes. Announced on 8 November 2016, it followed the demonetisation of 500 and 1000 banknotes of the original Mahatma Gandhi Series. Similar to the preceding series of banknotes, the obverse of the Mahatma Gandhi New Series banknotes also prominently displays the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. The logo of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is also printed on the back of the banknotes of this series.

Indian 200-rupee note issued in 2017

The first banknotes issued in the New Series were the denominations of 500 and 2000, and are in circulation since 10 November 2016. While the 500 note is still being printed, the 2000 note was last issued date 2017.[1][2][3]

The RBI announced on 18 August 2017 that it would soon issue a new 50 note.[4] RBI announced the specifications of new denomination of ₹200 note in the Mahatma Gandhi New Series, bearing signature of Dr. Urjit R. Patel, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on 25 August 2017.[5]

The Reserve Bank of India has also issued 10 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi New Series.[6] The new denomination has a motif of the Sun Temple, Konark on the reverse, depicting the country's cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is Chocolate brown.

The RBI announced on 19 July 2018 that it would shortly issue a new 100 note.[7] The new denomination has a motif of the Rani Ki Vav (the Queen's Stepwell), a UNESCO World Heritage site in Patan in Gujarat, India on the reverse, depicting the country's cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is Lavender.

The Reserve Bank of India has announced on 26 April 2019 that it would shortly issue a new 20 note.[8] The new denomination has a motif of Ellora Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, India on the reverse, depicting the country's cultural heritage continuing with the theme in the Mahatma Gandhi New Series banknotes.

In May 2023, the Reserve Bank of India announced its decision to withdraw the ₹2,000 notes from circulation. Despite this, the notes will remain legal tender and can be exchanged (20,000 Rupees max) or deposited in bank accounts until September 30, 2023.[9][10]

Security features

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The obverse design of the series was based on this 1946 photograph of Gandhi and Lord Pethick-Lawrence.
Details of the photograph.

The security features of the Mahatma Gandhi New Series banknotes are as follows:[1][2][3]

  • See-through registration device: Consisting of the numeral denomination at the lower left part of the notes on the front and at the lower right of the notes on the back. Used for the 10, 20, 50, 100, 200,500 and 2000.
  • Novel numbering: A set of six digit serial numbers that increase in size from left to right. These serial numbers are located on the top left and bottom right side on the front of the notes.
  • Latent image: Located on the lower left part of the note's front, when tilted, the denomination is seen within the panel near the left side of the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. Used for the 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 2000.
  • Denominational numeral: Located on the left side of the front of the notes, the denominational number is rendered in Devanagari script (१०, २०, ५०, १००, २००, ५०० and २०००). This raised some controversies.[11]
  • Microprinting: Microprinted elements consisting of the letters "RBI" and its corresponding denominations are located on the left side of the note. Used on the 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 2000 notes.
  • Intaglio printing of the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.
  • Windowed security thread: Located on the front of the notes, the windowed security thread on the 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 2000 notes contain colour-shifting elements and inscriptions of India in Hindi. When the notes are tilted, the colour of the security threads changes from green to blue.
  • Angular lines: A series of lines placed on both the left and right side of the front of the notes, these angular lines are utilized to help those with visual impairments in identifying the notes. Used on the 100, 200, 500 and 2000 notes.

Banknotes

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Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series
Image Value Dimensions (millimetres) Main colour Description Date of Issue Date of Withdrawal Year
Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Watermark
    10 123 mm × 63 mm Chocolate brown Mahatma Gandhi Sun Temple, Konark, Odisha Mahatma Gandhi and electrotype denomination 5 January 2018[6] Current 2017-
    20 129 mm × 63 mm Greenish Yellow Ellora Caves, Verul, Maharashtra 26 April 2019[8] 2019-
    50 135 mm × 66 mm Fluorescent Blue Hampi with Chariot, Karnataka 18 August 2017[4] 2017-
    100 142 mm × 66 mm Lavender Rani Ki Vav, Gujarat 19 July 2018[7] 2018-
    200 146 mm × 66 mm Bright Yellow Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh 25 August 2017[5] 2017-
    500 150 mm × 66 mm Stone Grey[3] Red Fort, Delhi 10 November 2016 2016-
    2000 166 mm × 66 mm Magenta Mangalyaan 10 November 2016 30 September 2023 2016–2017
For table standards, see the banknote specification table.

Languages

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Each banknote has its amount written in 17 languages. On the obverse, the denomination is written in English and Hindi. On the reverse is a language panel which displays the denomination of the note in 15 of the 22 official languages of India. The languages are displayed in alphabetical order. Languages included on the panel are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

Denominations in union level official languages (At below either ends)
Language 10 20 50 100 200 500 2000
English Ten rupees Twenty rupees Fifty rupees One Hundred rupees Two hundred rupees Five hundred rupees Two thousand rupees
Hindi दस रुपये बीस रुपये पचास रुपये एक सौ रुपये दो सौ रुपये पाँच सौ रुपये दो हज़ार रुपये
Denominations in 15 state level/other official languages (As seen on the language panel)
Assamese দহ টকা বিছ টকা পঞ্চাশ টকা এশ টকা দুইশ টকা পাঁচশ টকা দুহেজাৰ টকা
Bengali দশ টাকা কুড়ি টাকা পঞ্চাশ টাকা একশ টাকা দুইশ টাকা পাঁচশ টাকা দুই হাজার টাকা
Gujarati દસ રૂપિયા વીસ રૂપિયા પચાસ રૂપિયા એક સો રૂપિયા બસો રૂપિયા પાંચ સો રૂપિયા બે હજાર રૂપિયા
Kannada ಹತ್ತು ರೂಪಾಯಿಗಳು ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತು ರೂಪಾಯಿಗಳು ಐವತ್ತು ರೂಪಾಯಿಗಳು ನೂರು ರೂಪಾಯಿಗಳು ಎರಡು ನೂರು ರೂಪಾಯಿಗಳು ಐದು ನೂರು ರೂಪಾಯಿಗಳು ಎರಡು ಸಾವಿರ ರೂಪಾಯಿಗಳು
Kashmiri دٔہ رۄپیہِ وُہ رۄپیہِ پَنٛژاہ رۄپیہِ ہَتھ رۄپیہِ زٕ ہَتھ رۄپیہِ پانٛژھ ہَتھ رۄپیہِ زٕ ساس رۄپیہِ
Konkani धा रुपया वीस रुपया पन्नास रुपया शंबर रुपया दोनशें रुपया पाचशें रुपया दोन हजार रुपया
Malayalam പത്തു രൂപ ഇരുപതു രൂപ അൻപതു രൂപ നൂറു രൂപ ഇരുന്നൂറു രൂപ അഞ്ഞൂറു രൂപ രണ്ടായിരം രൂപ
Marathi दहा रुपये वीस रुपये पन्नास रुपये शंभर रुपये दोनशे रुपये पाचशे रुपये दोन हजार रुपये
Nepali दस रुपियाँ बीस रुपियाँ पचास रुपियाँ एक सय रुपियाँ दुई सय रुपियाँ पाँच सय रुपियाँ दुई हजार रुपियाँ
Odia ଦଶ ଟଙ୍କା କୋଡ଼ିଏ ଟଙ୍କା ପଚାଶ ଟଙ୍କା ଏକ ଶତ ଟଙ୍କା ଦୁଇ ଶହ ଟଙ୍କା ପାଞ୍ଚ ଶତ ଟଙ୍କା ଦୁଇ ହଜାର ଟଙ୍କା
Punjabi ਦਸ ਰੁਪਏ ਵੀਹ ਰੁਪਏ ਪੰਜਾਹ ਰੁਪਏ ਇਕ ਸੌ ਰੁਪਏ ਦੋ ਸੌ ਰੁਪਏ ਪੰਜ ਸੌ ਰੁਪਏ ਦੋ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਰੁਪਏ
Sanskrit दश रूप्यकाणि विंशती रूप्यकाणि पञ्चाशत् रूप्यकाणि शतं रूप्यकाणि द्विशतं रूप्यकाणि पञ्चशतं रूप्यकाणि द्विसहस्रं रूप्यकाणि
Tamil பத்து ரூபாய் இருபது ரூபாய் ஐம்பது ரூபாய் நூறு ரூபாய் இருநூறு ரூபாய் ஐந்நூறு ரூபாய் இரண்டாயிரம் ரூபாய்
Telugu పది రూపాయలు ఇరవై రూపాయలు యాభై రూపాయలు వంద రూపాయలు రెండు వందల రూపాయలు ఐదువందల రూపాయలు రెండు వేల రూపాయలు
Urdu دس روپیے بیس روپیے پچاس روپیے سو روپیے دو سو روپیے پانچ سو روپیے دو ہزار روپیے

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Issue of ₹ 2000 Banknotes". Reserve Bank of India. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Issue of ₹ 2000 banknotes with inset letter 'R'". Reserve Bank of India. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Issue of ₹ 500 banknotes inset letter 'E' in Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series". Reserve Bank of India. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  4. ^ a b RBI Introduces ₹ 50 banknote in Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series
  5. ^ a b RBI to issue Rs 200 note tomorrow. Here is how it looks
  6. ^ a b RBI Introduces ₹ 10 banknote in Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series
  7. ^ a b "RBI to Issue New Design ₹ 100 Denomination Banknote". rbi.org.in. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  8. ^ a b "RBI Introduces ₹ 20 banknote in Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series". rbi.org.in. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  9. ^ "Rs 2,000 Notes To Be Scrapped, Exchange Them By This Date, Will Remain Legal Tender". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  10. ^ "RBI on 2000 Rupee note: RBI to withdraw Rs 2,000 notes from circulation; notes will continue to be legal tender". The Times of India. 19 May 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  11. ^ Sharma, Apoorva (25 November 2016). "Using Devanagari Numerals on New Currency Dishonours a Historic Compromise". The Wire. Retrieved 3 September 2017.