The image of Mahatma Gandhi first featured on currency notes in India as early as 1969. In 1996, Mahatma Gandhi Series of banknotes was introduced by the Reserve Bank of India, versions of which are in circulation even today. As one of the most respected and iconic individuals to have graced this planet and known for his selflessness and fight against injustice, Gandhi-Ji’s image was a natural choice for currency notes in India. And yet, when instances of rampant corruption and scams — often amounting to millions of rupees — make the headlines in India, and when we experience greed including our own, do we remember the virtues of simplicity and sacrifice that Mahatma Gandhi stood for and led by example? Can Gandhi-ji’s image on banknotes make us introspect?
