RESERVE BANK OF INDIA

RESERVE BANK OF INDIA

The emblem of Reserve Bank of India has Royal Bengal tiger standing in front of a palm tree. The tiger was referred from the statue at the gate of Belvedere, Kolkata. These are ensconced by ‘भारतीय रिजर्व बैंक’ on top and ‘Reserve Bank of India’ at the bottom. This has been completed by two concentric circles with thin and thick lines. Obviously, this design is very formal and emphasises the ‘Government status of the bank’ with Indian motif, which resembles a heraldry. Indeed, it complied with the then requirements of mono colour reproduction and stamping and embossing functions when used at elite stationery. The Royal Bengal tiger or Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), is a subspecies of tiger native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Since 25th century BCE it was found on the Pashupati seal of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Later this was the symbol of the Chola Empire from 300 CE to 1279 CE and is now the official animal of India. The combination of grace, strength, agility and enormous power has earned the tiger its pride of place. Though it has been adapted from a sculpture, it is executed using wood engraving technique which was prevalent in 18th century. The head of the palm is visually comparable to glowing sun-star and with symbolic meanings such as honour, truth, value, vitality, warmth, fertile, expansion, protection, aspiration, attainment, unification, resurrection and singleness of purpose. It emanates masculine energy. The name of the central bank in Devanagari and English is written using rounded bevel serif typefaces. This typeface closely resembles Cooper Old Style Bold by Linotype, which was designed in 1919 by Ozwald Bruce Cooper, an American. Circles do not begin or end and therefore they are infinite. They move freely without restriction, meaning energy and power. This free movement can protect what’s inside their boundaries and denotes defence, endurance and safety or femininity and the womb.