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For several decades, Indian banknotes featured symbols of the country’s culture, development and scientific progress rather than Gandhi’s portrait. According to the RBI, the Ashoka Pillar series included images and motifs representing science and technology, progress and Indian art forms. The designs also featured subjects such as animals, dams and other symbols of a developing India. This approach continued through much of the 1950s, 1960s and beyond, before Gandhi’s image began appearing on commemorative and later regular currency notes.

Gandhi’s image eventually made its way onto Indian currency in 1969, marking his birth centenary. The RBI Museum records that a special commemorative series showed Gandhi seated with Sevagram Ashram in the background. This was different from the later banknotes that carried his portrait as a standard design feature.

A major change came in October 1987, when the Rs 500 banknote was introduced with a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi along with the Ashoka Pillar watermark, according to the RBI’s currency records. The design showed Gandhi leading a group of people. This marked Gandhi’s return to a regular banknote denomination after his earlier commemorative appearance in 1969.

The next major step came with the Mahatma Gandhi Series launched in 1996. The RBI says the series replaced the Ashoka Pillar portrait position on the front of the notes with Gandhi’s portrait, while retaining the Ashoka Pillar emblem elsewhere on the note. The series was introduced across denominations over several years, including Rs 10 and Rs 100 in 1996, Rs 50 in 1997 and higher denominations later. The notes also brought enhanced security features such as security threads and watermarks.

Gandhi’s place on Indian currency has occasionally been debated. In 2016, when asked whether the government planned to replace or add portraits of other leaders, then Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal told the Rajya Sabha that “a Committee was formed during UPA which has already decided that there is no need to change Mahatma Gandhi's photo on the currency notes.” The government has also said that banknote designs and security features are decided by the Centre in consultation with the RBI. Over the years, names including Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose and Sardar Patel have been suggested in public debates, while a 2022 proposal by the Aam Aadmi Party to feature Lakshmi and Ganesha also triggered political debate. Separately, Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi criticised the absence of Bapu’s image from the digital rupee design in a social media post. Despite these debates, Gandhi’s portrait remains a defining feature of India’s banknotes.

Indian Railways is considering extending the hydrogen train to Azadpur station in Delhi, located close to the city’s wholesale fruits and vegetables market. Railway officials said the train has completed two months of successful operations as a technology demonstrator, while teams are working on the requirements for extending its service towards Delhi.

The low ridership appears to be linked more to the route than the train itself. The hydrogen service replaced a DEMU train that also had limited passenger traffic. Railway staff said there are few office commuters or industrial workers travelling between Jind and Sonipat, while three other DEMU services on the route also reportedly see low footfall. Local passengers have therefore suggested extending the train towards Delhi to make better use of the service.

Fuel range is not expected to be the biggest hurdle. Officials said the train can cover around 250-300 km on a full tank, while the distance between Jind and Delhi is about 130 km. At present, however, the train can be refuelled only at Jind. Capacity could be a bigger challenge, as the 10-coach hydrogen train can carry around 2,600 passengers, while trains serving Delhi often require 18-20 coaches because of high commuter demand and track capacity constraints.

If extending the hydrogen train to Delhi proves difficult, local passengers have suggested changing its route within Haryana. One proposal is to run the train from Jind to Sonipat, then towards Panipat and Safidon before returning to Jind. The proposed circuit would cover around 180 km and could serve more commuters, particularly because Panipat is an important industrial area.

The train’s launch in July marked an important step in Indian Railways’ efforts to explore hydrogen-powered transportation. Railway officials have described it as a pilot project and said experts are closely monitoring its operation and trial runs towards Delhi. Since the technology is new and passenger safety remains a priority, the final decision on extending the hydrogen train service to Delhi will be taken after further assessment.