14 January,2011 06:20 AM IST | | Shiva Devnath
Youth Congress leader complains to PM, President that 10-rupee coins issued by RBI to commemorate Homi Bhabha's birth centenary have the wrong years inscribed
This mint-made error could be a collector's item for numismatists.
The next time you come across a Rs-10 coin with Dr Homi Jehangir Bhabha's imprint adorning its heads, look closely and you will find the year inscribed as '2008-2009'.
The coin says 2008-2009, when it should say 1909-2009
The coins, released last year to mark the birth centenary of the country's premier nuclear physicist, were meant to celebrate his century-long legacy, but they end up glorifying a financial year.
According to experts, the actual dates inscribed should have been '1909 - 2009', as Bhabha was born on October 30, 1909.
The obverse dates have piqued many, and in particular, a Youth Congress leader from Bandra, Sajid Khan. Eager to remedy the wrong, Khan has expressed his dismay to the highest office in the country.
"I have written about this to the Prime Minister, President and the governor of Maharasthra, but haven't received a reply. I hope they do something about it.
The correction should be made immediately," said Khan.
"Never has a coin mentioning a financial year been minted. And if in this case, the financial year had to be taken in account, it should have been 2009-10," Khan added.
Incidentally, the coin was unveiled in 2010, a year later than the centenary year of Bhabha's birth.
Former IPS officer-turned-advocate, YP Singh, said, "It is sad that the coins, meant to mark the 100th birth anniversary of the man who was a perfectionist and never allowed any mistakes happen, have these years printed them."
Coins issued to commemorate the birth centennial of other legends like Mother Teresa, Indira Gandhi or Rabindranath Tagore, have their birth and death years on it.
The coin was meant to mark Bhabha's legacy, but they end up glorifying a financial year
The error is not unique to the Rs-10 coins. Last year, PM Manmohan Singh had unveiled some Rs-100 coins, given out to a select few to commemorate Bhabha's birth centenary.
Even they, ignorantly or intentionally, have the same wrong years inscribed.
Die is cast
The coins with '2008-09' are already in circulation and experts say it will be difficult for the RBI to recall them. "If the RBI wants to change the printed years, they will have to recall the coins.
But if they are already in the market, it will be difficult and is a long process," said Singh.
Did you know?
Coins can be issued up to the denomination of R1,000 as per the Coinage Act, 1906.
The Other Side
MiD DAY asked RBI Public Relations officer Alpana Killawala about the error, but she said that the matter needed to be looked into by the bank's general manager.
Error Zone
Earlier there was an error even in the Rs 5 coins in memory of Lokmanya Tilak. The coin has the inscription "Bal Gangadhar Tilakji" written on the top, where ji is an honorific. During that time Raj Thackeray had raised the issue that the use of ji should be avoided with Tilak as it was not used for coins commemorating Gandhi or Nehru. Subsequently, the production of these coins, to be released on the 150th birth anniversary of Tilak, was modified, and ji was removed.
Oct 30, 1909
The day Homi Jehangir Bhabha was born
