Information about new rupee symbol

The Indian rupee (code: INR) is the official currency of India. The curent Rupee symbol is:

Origin:

On March 5, 2009 the Indian government announced a contest to create a symbol for the rupee. During the Union Budget 2010, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee mentioned that proposed symbol would reflect and capture the Indian ethos and culture. Five symbols had been short listed, and the Cabinet selected the definitive symbol created by D Udaya Kumar on 15 July 2010 as the Rupee Symbol.

The symbol is a taken from the Devanagari ‘र’. The parallel lines at the top (with white space between them) make an allusion to the tricolor Indian flag and also depict an equality sign which symbolizes the nation's desire to reduce economic disparity. The Indian government already adopted the new rupee symbol in the country. It will be adopted globally within 18 to 24 months.

Prior to this, the most commonly used symbols for the rupee have been Rs., Re. or रू.

More info on Indian Rupee at wikipedia.