What is on the money in India?

Gandhi appears on every current denomination, and has since 1996. The reverse of each note carries a different heritage site, and the language panel lists the denomination in fifteen languages besides Hindi and English — seventeen in total, which is one of the most multilingual banknote designs anywhere. The 2016 demonetisation is the largest such action ever attempted by a functioning economy, and its stated aim of eliminating untaxed cash largely failed: almost all the notes came back.

Who and what is on each note

The unusual part

Seventeen languages on every note, and identification marks — a triangle, a circle, a square — in raised print so blind users can tell denominations apart by touch.

Notes that were withdrawn

The practical facts

Currency

Indian rupee — ISO code INR, symbol ₹

Printed on

Cotton and linen, not wood pulp

Survives a wash?

Usually. Cotton and linen notes tear rather than dissolve, and generally survive a wash.

Can a blind person tell them apart?

Yes — the denominations differ in size, which is the simplest and most reliable tactile cue there is.

Highest note in issue

₹500 — Mahatma Gandhi; Red Fort

This page describes the notes rather than showing them. Reproducing a banknote image is restricted in most jurisdictions, and the restrictions differ between them.