---
title: "What is on India's banknotes?"
description: "The Indian rupee: who is on each denomination, what was withdrawn and why, what the notes are printed on, and whether the sizes differ."
url: https://atoneplace.net/banknote/india/
site: "At One Place"
---

# What is on the money in India?

**The money in India: Indian rupee (INR, ₹)**

6 denominations in issue · Cotton and linen, not wood pulp

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

| Note | Who or what is on it |
| --- | --- |
| ₹10 | Mahatma Gandhi; Konark Sun Temple on the reverse |
| ₹20 | Mahatma Gandhi; Ellora Caves |
| ₹50 | Mahatma Gandhi; Hampi with chariot |
| ₹100 | Mahatma Gandhi; Rani ki Vav |
| ₹200 | Mahatma Gandhi; Sanchi Stupa |
| ₹500 | Mahatma Gandhi; Red Fort |

## 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## Notes that were withdrawn

| Note | When | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ₹1,000 and the old ₹500 | November 2016 | Demonetised overnight with four hours' notice, invalidating about 86 per cent of the cash in circulation and causing months of queues. |
| ₹2,000 | 2023 | Introduced in 2016 to replace the demonetised notes, then withdrawn seven years later once smaller denominations were back in supply. |

## 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.

## Common questions

### Who is on the money in India?

₹10: Mahatma Gandhi; Konark Sun Temple on the reverse. ₹20: Mahatma Gandhi; Ellora Caves. ₹50: Mahatma Gandhi; Hampi with chariot. ₹100: Mahatma Gandhi; Rani ki Vav. ₹200: Mahatma Gandhi; Sanchi Stupa. ₹500: Mahatma Gandhi; Red Fort.

### Are India's banknotes polymer or paper?

Cotton and linen, not wood pulp.

### Why was the ₹1,000 and the old ₹500 withdrawn?

Demonetised overnight with four hours' notice, invalidating about 86 per cent of the cash in circulation and causing months of queues. (November 2016.)

## Related pages

- [India](https://atoneplace.net/country/india/)
- [The flag of India](https://atoneplace.net/flag/india/)
- [The money in United States](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-states/)
- [The money in Eurozone](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/eurozone/)
- [The money in United Kingdom](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-kingdom/)
- [The money in Japan](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/japan/)
- [The money in Zimbabwe](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/zimbabwe/)
- [The money in Australia](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/australia/)
- [The money in Canada](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/canada/)
- [The money in China](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/china/)
- [The money in Switzerland](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/switzerland/)
- [The money in South Africa](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/south-africa/)

## Sources

- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)