Indian Rupee Symbol (₹)
The Indian Rupee symbol (₹) is the official monetary mark for the currency of India, adopted in 2010. Represented by Unicode code point U+20B9, the glyph seamlessly blends the Devanagari letter 'र' (ra) with the Latin capital letter 'R' without its vertical stem.
Typographic & Developer Encoding Codes
Quickly copy HTML entities, CSS content escape sequences, and Unicode code points for Indian Rupee.
| Format | Value / Code | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Symbol | ₹ | Standard plain text character or abbreviation | |
| Unicode Code Point | U+20B9 | INDIAN RUPEE SIGN (Currency Symbols) | |
| Windows Input / Alt Code | Word: 20B9, Alt+X / Win + . | Keyboard shortcut for Windows PC | |
| HTML Named / Decimal Entity | None (Numeric: ₹) | HTML5 named character entity | |
| HTML Hex Entity | ₹ | Hexadecimal HTML character reference | |
| CSS Escape Code | \20B9 | For CSS ::before or ::after pseudo-elements |
How to Type Indian Rupee Symbol (₹) on Any Device
Windows PC
In Microsoft Word, type 20B9 then press Alt + X. In other Windows applications, press Win + . to open the Symbol panel, or use 1-click copy.
Mac / macOS
No direct shortcut. Press Control + Command + Space to open Character Viewer, or hold Option and enter hex in Unicode Hex Input.
iPhone & iPad (iOS)
Switch to Hindi or English (India) keyboard: tap 123 then ₹
Android (Gboard)
Switch to English (India) keyboard: tap ?123 then ₹
Formatting Rules & Real-World Examples
Symbol Placement: Before Amount
In standard financial notation, the Indian Rupee symbol is positioned immediately before the numerical amount.
Typography & International Usage Guidelines
The Indian Rupee symbol is positioned immediately before the amount without a space (₹500). Indian numerical notation follows the unique South Asian numbering system with grouping commas at hundreds, thousands, lakhs (1,00,000), and crores (1,00,00,000). Note that Nepal uses the Nepalese Rupee (NPR, रू) and Bhutan uses the Ngultrum (BTN), so ₹ is not their national currency.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming ₹ has an HTML named entity (there is NO &rupee; entity in HTML5; use ₹ or ₹).
- Using the legacy generic rupee sign ₨ (U+20A8) instead of the official Indian symbol ₹ (U+20B9).
- Listing neighboring countries like Nepal or Pakistan as users of ₹ (Pakistan uses 'Rs' / ₨, and Nepal uses रू).
Historical Background & Monetary Evolution
The word rupee originates from the Sanskrit word 'rūpya' (रूप्य), meaning wrought silver or stamped coin, introduced historically by Sultan Sher Shah Suri in 1540. Prior to 2010, India used abbreviations such as 'Rs', 'Re', or regional script scripts. To create a distinctive global brand, the Ministry of Finance held an open national competition. The winning design, created by D. Udaya Kumar (an architecture professor at IIT Guwahati), was officially approved by the Union Cabinet on July 15, 2010. The Unicode Consortium formally encoded the symbol at U+20B9 in Unicode version 6.0 in October 2010.
Countries & Jurisdictions Using ₹
Related Tools & Guides for Indian Rupee
ISO 4217 Lookup
Search standard three-letter currency codes and ISO country pairings.
ToolCurrency Formatter
Calculate before/after position styles and international decimal notations.
GuideMac Option Key Shortcuts
How to configure and type international financial marks quickly on macOS.
GuideGoogle Docs & Sheets Guide
Insert special characters and configure currency formats in spreadsheets.
GuideiPhone & iPad Shortcuts
Quick long-press keyboard shortcuts on iOS to type monetary symbols.
SpecsUnicode Technical Standards
Master technical index for U+20A0–U+20CF blocks, HTML entities & CSS codes.
Similar & Related Currency Symbols
View all Rupee Currencies (₹, ₨, Rs) →Standards Verification & Official Registry Specifications
This specification has been verified against official international standards registries (ISO 4217 Maintenance Agency, Unicode Consortium 16.0, and Unicode CLDR).
Frequently Asked Questions about Indian Rupee (₹)
Common questions and direct answers regarding currency symbols, typing shortcuts, and international formatting.
What do the parallel horizontal lines in the Indian Rupee symbol represent?
The top horizontal bar is the Shirorekha (the headline characteristic of the Devanagari script). The second horizontal bar creates the tricolor illusion of the Indian national flag and symbolizes economic equality.
How to type ₹ on an Indian keyboard in Windows?
On keyboards configured with the English (India) layout, press Ctrl + Alt + 4 or AltGr + 4. In Microsoft Word on any keyboard, type 20B9 and press Alt + X.
Do Nepal and Bhutan use the Indian Rupee sign (₹)?
No. Nepal's official currency is the Nepalese Rupee, symbolized domestically by the Devanagari characters रू (Rs, NPR). Bhutan's official currency is the Ngultrum (BTN, Nu.), which is pegged 1:1 to the Indian Rupee but maintains its own distinct monetary identity.