Once Upon A Rupee: Talk by Rukmini Dahanukar

From the tangible beginnings of punch marked silver to the intangible symbol of digital transactions, the journey of the Rupee is truly fascinating. From being a universal common currency in the greater Indian region to the specific ISO 4217 INR, the story of its visual typology is more than its worth. The Talk ‘Once upon a Rupee’ by Rukmini Dahanukar will offer a sneak peek into the different forms, designs and symbols that are emblazoned on our everyday currency across time and geography.

Rukmini Dahanukar is an independent researcher and founder partner of her brand design & identity consultant firm, Nirmiti. (means creation in Sanskrit/ ancient Indian) She has presented & published at communication, cultural studies, history, politics and popular culture conferences in Greece, India, Ireland, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. Dahanukar’s research deals with the graphic designs and visual imagery on money; currency notes & coins; analyzed via a multi-disciplinary approach covering visual communications & media studies, history, politics & nationalism and identity & cultural studies. She has been one of the youngest keynote speakers at the European Cultural Conference organized by the University of Navarra, Pamplona in Spain in October 2007. She was also the only academic researcher to present at the prestigious HSP High Security Printing Asia in Colombo, Sri Lanka in December 2023. In November 2022, she organised the conference “World Heritage on Banknotes-the next 50” at UNESCO, New Delhi and conceptualised and curated the first of its kind exhibition “Banking on World Heritage” at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi in July 2023 as part of India's presidency of the G20 Summit with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India.

About Sarmaya Talks: A key component of Sarmaya's programming is Sarmaya is Talks, where we invite scholars, authors, and creative practitioners to speak on a topic of their choice, introducing our audience to a variety of subjects from art, culture, and history. We have hosted a diverse range of speakers, including Ira Mukhoty, Rudrangshu Mukherjee, Rana Safvi, Madhavi Menon, Bijoy Jain, Manu Pillai, Devdutt Pattanaik, and Javed Akhtar.

This talk is in tandem with Sarmaya's ongoing exhibition 'Odyssey of the Rupee: From India to the World'.

Marking 75 years of the Indian Rupee, Odyssey of the Rupee is Sarmaya’s most ambitious exhibition yet. Curated by Dr Shailendra Bhandare of the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, with Sarmaya Arts Foundation, the showcase spans centuries of currency, from ancient punch-marked coins to the first coin minted in Independent India. The exhibition also explores how the rupee travelled beyond borders, featuring beautiful and rare coins and notes from regions like Mozambique, Java, and Saudi Arabia.

Venue: Sarmaya Arts Foundation, 2nd floor, 276, Lawrence & Mayo Building, Dr D.N. Road, Fort, Mumbai 400001.

Seating for this event is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis