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DEVELOPMENT OF BANKNOTE

DESIGN: A STUDY ON APPLICATION

OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND

INNOVATION

NARAYANAN KRISHNASWAMY

BHARATIYA RESERVE BANK NOTE MUDRAN

(P) LTD., INDIA

narayankrishnaswamy@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This paper looks into the aspects of participatory

designing of banknotes applying indigenous

knowledge and skills. Particular attention is paid to

the cases where participation has been effected in

designing banknotes. Indian banknote design

development process has been looked into for its

use of high levels of technology but almost

negligent levels of user participation. An attempt

has been made to propose a system for

participatory development of banknote design in

India.

BANKNOTE

Banknote is called the ‘calling card’ of the country to

which it issues. It is one of the sovereign products of a

sovereign nation. It is also one of the smallest and easily

identifiable products of a country next only to its

national flag and insignia. Banknotes are used by almost

all of the adult population of the world and majority of

the adolescent population. It can be said that banknotes as a product are more universal than any of the other

consumer non-durable products and also the most

sought after. It is a product for the entire community. Its

face value is manifold higher than its intrinsic value. It

is the product which tells the value of any other product

and gives it a face value. It has transactional and storage

value. It gives immense satisfaction, pride or confidence

to almost anybody who possesses it. With their high

levels of penetration with humanity banknotes are more

universal in usage, appeal and construction. This paper

aims to study how the indigenous communities use their

cultural wealth to design their futures with banknotes.

The banknotes can bring into dialogue participants from

indigenous communities, different denominations of

population and design to explore the processes of

cultural innovation.

DESIGNING OF BANKNOTES

Designing of banknotes is a very highly restricted and

secured endeavour. There are specialists and super

specialists who have given their entire lives in

conception and creation of banknotes. This clearly tells

how much expertise, ingenuity, dedication and skill required in developing and designing banknotes.

Though the process and technologies involved in

designing of banknotes are secured, in the same length it

can be said that they are universal. Each country has its

unique banknotes – each has its own set of sizes,

colours, denominations and features. Also each country

guards it safe and secure from other countries.

Therefore the community of the country which uses its

banknotes has a lot at stake in having a say on how its

banknotes - ‘calling cards’ should be like.

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE FOR

BANKNOTE DESIGN

Though the principles and technologies used the

worldwide have become almost standard throughout the

world, they have developed over three centuries using

techniques and skills and innovations from many different parts of the world. Chinese silk and paper,

German movable type, Italian engraving, Swiss inks,

English presses, Dutch ideas, Indian mathematics,

American innovations, Russian, Australian and

Hungarian design features and inventions – all make the

current banknotes. Some are path breaking, some are

incremental and some are unique, some are customized,

some are exclusive and some are absolute secretive. A

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few are quite weird too! It is an undeniable fact that

communities of the respective countries have

participated using different means in designing their

banknotes. Their effect can be direct indirect and subtle

or direct and quite affirmative. Some countries have

established systems and processes to involve community participation in their banknote design and

institutionalising it. Some allow participation indirectly.

Some do not allow for any participation and some allow

off and on.

LITERATURE REVIEW

To sustain public confidence in a circulating currency,

banknotes must contain features that the public can use

to readily judge their authenticity and determine the

notes’ denominations. Currency design is driven by

these considerations, subject to constraints imposed by

the desire to minimise the notes’ cost and maximize

their ease of handling by third parties. Monetary

authorities, quite naturally, prefer banknotes that are

relatively inexpensive to produce and other things equal,

have a long life in circulation. These considerations make banknote design a mixture of art, science and

economics (MARCELA M. WILLIAMS, 2007). The

most important aspect of a banknote is its visual

accessibility. The public is doubtlessly more interested

in the theme and design of new banknotes than in the

security technology. For one thing, the motifs must be

easy to perceive and remember. For another, banknotes

serve as a kind of national showcase. The visual

appearance of banknotes must both satisfy aesthetic

requirements and convey values that represent (our)

country and that are shared by the (Swiss) people (BLANTTNER, 2005). We know from experience that

continuity with respect to banknotes is an important

criterion for the consumers in addition to providing a

valuable orientation aid (TORNARE, 2005). Users want

banknotes that are easy to handle and distinguish.

Banknotes should be aesthetically pleasing. The

designer of a banknote, therefore, must try to reconcile

the artistic design with the technicalities of user and

security requirements (FRANK WETTSTEIN, 2000).

The motifs on the banknotes are important in expressing

national values and symbols (GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE RIKSBANK'S DRAFTING COMMITTE FOR

THE DESIGN OF BANKNOTES AND COINS,

MARCH 2011). Banknote designs are often not based

on a well-considered communication concept. The

banknote designer seems to be in charge, while this is

not her or his first domain. The design philosophy or

design policy is the start of any banknote design and is

preferably provided by the highest management, the

Governor and the Board of the central bank (HEIJ,

JULY 2007).

SOME CASES

There are a number of instances of participation of the

respective communities in designing their banknotes.

Switzerland has a long history of public participation in

their designing of the nation’s banknotes. They have

almost institutionalised the system of public designing

of the banknotes and an established system takes care of

this. Recently they had conducted a competition among

the designated age group – to ensure design proposals

are fresh and contemporary – which were ranked and

shortlisted a few for evaluation by the security designers. The final selected designs were reworked by

the original designer alongwith the security designers of

the Swiss National Bank (Swiss National Bank, 2004-

2010).

Figure 1 & 2: Proposed New Design Swiss Banknote, Denomination

100 (Swiss National Bank)

European Union had introduced Euro currency through

an uniting and unique venture of bringing out new

banknotes. Euro called for designs of banknotes from

the participating countries of the monetary unions. It

asked the expert banknote designers from the participating countries through their organisations to

participate in the design completion. Twenty-nine

individuals and or teams nominated by 14 European

Union national banks participated on a predetermined

theme based on common European heritage. The

competition received 44 proposals. Each proposal was

assigned an identification code to maintain anonymity.

An eminent jury selected two shortlists of five best

design series. A public survey on the ten shortlisted

designs was carried out. On the basis above evaluation

one series of design was selected (European Central

Bank, September 2003).

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Figure 3: Current Euro Banknote Denomination 100 (European

Central Bank)

Figure 4: Current Euro Banknote Denomination 100 (European

Central Bank)

Recently Danes successfully redesigned their banknotes.

Central bank of Denmark arranged a competition among

eight artists who were asked to do a draft. The bank

chose two proposals which were adopted for the new

series. Both the drafts had bridges and one was very

contemporary and the other one was classically

beautiful (11Au). Also the Danes had invited

collaborators for custom typeface for its new banknote

series. The custom typeface incorporates both Danish design and subtle security features (11Au1).

Figure 5: New Danish Banknotes Denomination 100 (Danmark

National Bank)

Figure 6: New Hong Kong Banknotes Denomination 500 (Lunaticg

Banknote & Coin)

Hong Kong Monetary Authority has authorised three commercial banks in Hong Kong to issue banknotes for

the government. All the three commercial banks issue

banknotes of different designs. The new Hong Kong

2010 series of banknotes incorporate the same security

features and also the design to facilitate the visually

impaired to differentiate the denomination (Government

of Hong Kong). The design theme based on Chinese

mythology strives to symbolise the unique energy and

culture that make Hong Kong one of the world’s vibrant

and memorable cities (Standard Charterd Bank (Hong

Kong) Limited, 2011). The three new series issued by

the three private banks adopt the same colour scheme

and security features in same locations, while the motifs

and elements will be different (Hong Kong New 2010 Banknote Series, 2010).

South Africa has conducted a competition among the art

schools in the country and had chosen designs from

them for development as banknotes by banknote design

specialists. Indians had tried decades earlier by just

calling for proposals for motifs to be incorporated in

their banknotes. During the centenary of Mahatma

Gandhi, it called for proposals for incorporating his

portrait in its banknotes and coins. The banknote presses

provided the templates within which the portrait should

appear was provided to the interested participants and

this ensured a good number of responses. However in the next four decades ventures of this sort have been not

resorted to. However in the year 2010 it called for

competitive proposals for symbol for Indian Rupee and

selected one which is an Indian design.

AN APPROACH FOR INDIA

India is a subcontinent. Its geography, heritage, history,

human races, languages, cultures, heterogeneous beliefs,

varied growths, highly differentiated villages and cities,

varying rates of spread of literacy and extraordinarily

challenging variety of its aspects of life possess a great

scope for public participation in anything it does. It has

extraordinary diversity in anything one can look upon. It

is strengthened by its core principle of being the world’s

largest thriving democracy. All these make it a great challenge to design banknotes for India. A controlled or

centralised system of designing banknotes may not suit

or augur well for its democratic credentials. The

banknote design has to obviously cater to all the above

mentioned differences and varied aspirations.

India has its aspirations and ambitions matching with its

size, population, culture, heritage, economics and

history. It is transforming into a major economic power

off late. It needs banknotes which are capable of

supporting these aspects of Indian life.

THE CHALLENGE OF INDIA

The greatest challenge is India’s diversity. This

diversity is phenomenal and mind boggling. In the same

length it is also the reason for incorporating making the banknotes more representative preferably incorporating

indigenous design elements representing the diversity of

this continental nation. Its culture is embedded into it as

its traditions and customs. It flows into its daily life and

transmitted through its generations of genes. India with

its 4000 years of history is more than well entrenched in

its rituals and practices. It has cults which evolve, grow

and diminish in cycles. At the same length it straddles

with modernity which is quite contradicting to its

existing beliefs and values. Still India is a vibrant and

thriving nation. It is the fountain head of a few major

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and minor religions of the world. It has a large number

of languages ranging from classical to modern.

INDIA’S ART AND CRFTS

Arts and crafts of India have stood the test of the time.

Starting with Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro civilizations,

Calico textiles, leather and diamond crafts and

Bollywood to software India has been looked at awe for

its cultural and artistic prowess and heritage. It has the

necessary skills and expertise to sustain a horde of arts and crafts. Its indigenous knowledge and expertise in

many fields of human endeavour have been well

recorded. It is unfortunate that its banknotes do not

represent them. The public – the main user of banknotes

have almost no say in its look and feel. It is essential to

make the user of the banknotes to involve in deciding its

look and feel. It is easier said than done, due to its scale

and magnanimity. Though at this point of time the

nation is preoccupied in establishing an equitable and

developed society it has to get into the issue of making

its banknotes more representative and participatory in

that order. A beginning needs to be made in this regard.

PARTICIAPTIVE DESIGNING OF INDIAN

BANKNOTE

Can these small pieces of paper with 103.67 square millimetre area 1 consisting of seven denominations ever

represent a country of this size and range of diversity?

Yes, it is possible and this is exactly what many nations

of the world have strived for and achieved to a great

extent. The design of a banknote by incorporating

appropriate themes, colours, elements and features can

be made more representative than by filling it up with

some computer generated digital patterns and images.

The themes and images so chosen and used creatively

can be more than representative and can be original and

contemporary thereby building upon the heritage. Its

twenty-eight states and seven union territories can stake a claim of representation on the banknotes.

CURRENT METHOD

Currently the banknotes of India are designed by the banknote printers under the aegis of Reserve Bank of

India for the Government of India. Though the method

of designing a banknote, other technicalities and

security features shall remain secretive; the choice of

colours, features and elements too are not exposed to

any sort of public forum or evaluation thereby making it

more official than representative. The present Indian

banknotes have more western elements or so called

Indian elements using western concepts, which do not

go with the Indian psyche.

Indians are by nature philosophical. They tend to find meaning in anything. They are metaphysical – the study

of reality and being. India had the world’s longest-

1 Average size of Indian Banknotes as calculated by the

Author

running democratically elected communist government

in its state of West Bengal. Indians are spiritual and

religious even than Chinese. Indian mind-set is

transcendental. It has the drive to build significant

businesses while following ancient customs in doing so.

Finally Indians are more open and warm and has assimilated from many cultures, even from its invaders

(Indian Mindset).

Figure 7: Indian Banknote Obverse Denomination 100 (Money of the

World)

Figure 8: Indian Banknote Reverse Denomination 100 (Money of the

World)

The current Indian banknotes have a number of high

end security features as enumerated by its central bank

which are plucked and planted on its banknote. The

adoption of the high end security features and

techniques with Indian themes and features is the crux of the issue. Therefore it is essential for the authorities

concerned to resort to ensuring appropriate means for

introducing Indian designs and features. This can be

duly ensured by adequate participation of the users who

are the major stake holders. As discussed in the above

cases of other countries India too has to ensure the

participation of the users - the public in designing its

banknotes. This will naturally invigorate the design and

design decision making process. What is required is an

evolutionary change in the mind-set of the banknote

issuers towards the new approach. It is also a fact that India has resorted to issuing commemorative coins and

coins with different themes.

THE PROPOSAL FOR PARTICIPATION

The transformation from centrally designed by in-house

designers to public participation for indigenous

designing of banknotes can be effected gradually but

steadily. Some proposals for the participation by the

public who use banknotes can be in any of the following

forms.

1. Inviting eminent designers and artists of the

land to work with the banknote designers. This

Participatory Innovation Conference 2012, Melbourne, Australia www.pin-c2012.org/ 5

will ensure fresh approach to designing of

banknotes soaked in indigenous

contemporariness.

2. Call for general banknote design proposals

from competent general public. This will result

in generation of ideas ranging from absurd to mediocre to highly aesthetic designs.

3. Call for proposals for design elements in the

designated predetermined locations of

banknotes. This will certainly make the

participants to be more ingenious, imaginative

and creative due to restrictions imposed.

4. Call for designs for modules of banknotes

resorting to modular concept of design. This

will give scope for accommodating regional

aspirations. This will certainly result in lots of

variety and there will be demands from almost

all the states of the union.

All the above can be accompanied with guidelines on

the theme or general approach to themes for the

aspirants to prepare their proposals. This can work well

by clearly stating the size and other relevant restrictions

for incorporating security features and other technical

and production requirements. This can be combined

with any of the three models of design and issue of

banknotes by the central bank.

1. Centralised model with low customisation: In

this the design can be executed centrally and providing spaces for incorporating elements

resulted through participatory proposals.

2. Centralised model with high customisation:

In this model either the verso of the

banknote and major motifs of the banknote

can be reserved for selection through

participation.

3. Regional model: This model envisages

regional banknote series with only

standard centralised features with regional

themes, elements and features.

CONCLUSION

India has built a vibrant democracy over the last sixty

years. India has a globalising economy and its growing

at a fast phase. It has projected itself as a soft power

with its heritage, culture and of course its cinema. It has

introduced a symbol for its currency. Now it is the most

logical step to take – to make its banknote design more

representative using participation of its indigenous

cultural and artistic resources. It has to use its newly

introduced military doctrine of ‘cold start’ which calls

for the rapid deployment of integrated battle groups to

conduct high intensity offensive operations in designing and developing a truly participatory banknote.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I acknowledge the suggestions and comments made by

P. M. Mahapatra, my colleague on this paper. I would

like to thank K. Jayashree for her support in writing this

paper and for her valuable comments.

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