"Money has been called the human artifact that confirms the impossibility of disentangling the cultural and the symbolic from the economic."
~ William Sewell, Historian and Political Scientist
ACADEMIC CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
from around the world
May 2005 - August 2024
"Money is not just a medium of exchange but also a medium of communication."
"World Heritage on banknotes"
the next 50
30th November 2022
The Auditorium, UNESCO Cluster Office, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, INDIA
This research is interdisciplinary; making it challenging to thematically, exclusively categorise. An effort has been made to include broad categories with keeping the main theme, subject and argument as focus within the context.
ART / DESIGN / BRANDING
COMMUNICATION / MEDIA / SEMIOTICS
HISTORY / MEMORY / STORY-TELLING
PROPAGANDA / POLITICS / NATIONALISM
CULTURE / GENDER / IDENTITIES
The first of its kind conference on banknote imagery and heritage sites was convened by myself as part of UNESCO's ‘Next 50’ dialogue, in partnership with the cluster office at New Delhi UNESCO. Eminent speakers from various fields discussed and presented the creation, curation and continuation of contributors that shape our socio-cultural fabric and shared identities.
Mr Ankush Seth (UNESCO, New Delhi), Dr Saryu V Doshi, Ms Rukmini Dahanukar (convener), Mr Sudhakar Kaza (Former Managing Director, BRBNMPL), Mr Cedrian Lopez-Bosch (Online from Mexico), Representatives from De La Rue (Online from Basingstoke, UK), Ambassador Anup Mudgal, Dr Shailandra Bhandare (Online from Oxford, UK), Ms Smita Vats (Founder ITIHAAS), Ms Amanda McCadams (Online from USA), Master Rajveer Shah, Dr Armoogum Parsuramen (Former Director, UNESCO-New Delhi).
UNESCO World Heritage Convention celebrated its golden year from November 2022. The Convention concerning the protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted fifty years ago in 1972. On the occasion of its golden anniversary, UNESCO has kickstarted the ‘Next 50s’ dialogue across the world. This conference is a contribution to the same.
To download the conference report, click here
"Banking on World Heritage"
UNESCO Heritage site on the banknotes of G20 nations
30th June 2023
Conference Room, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, INDIA
The inauguration was followed by a panel discussion featuring Ms. Rukmini Dahanukar, conceptualiser and curator of the exhibition, Chief Guest Smt. Saryu V. Doshi, Trustee of IGNCA and eminent art scholar, art historian and educationist, Mr Sudhakar Kaza, former Managing Director, Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Ltd., Mr Ashish Chandra, Country Director, De La Rue India Private Limited alongwith Prof. Poonam Munjal, NCAER and Mr Anand Kothari, Archaeologist & Numismatist.
Mr Sudhakar Kaza said that this exhibition is probably the first of its kind in the world. He said that the images that we see on the notes are decided after a long process and deliberations. He also added that the banknote series of 2016 is completely manufactured in the country. Its ink and paper are now made in the country itself and its design is also prepared by the artists and engravers from India. Prof. Poonam Munjal said that the contribution of various sectors in the economy is appreciated but art and heritage also contribute significantly to the economy but are not quantifiable at this point and so highly underrated. Prof. Anand Kothari said that coins are the documents of history and through banknotes people get acquainted with the heritage of a country. Mr. Ashish Chandra of De La Rue, a 200-year-old company involved in the printing of bank notes, said that the exhibition is a great initiative. Banknotes are the most loved and trusted products in the world with design playing a very important role and every note has a unique story behind its design.
To download the conference report, click here
"Euro-nomous"
the story of the 500-Euros
29th July 2023
IBNS HC Webinar (online) INDIA
The enormous denomination of 500 was launched in the Euro series of 2002 as the largest in the series. The denomination was withdrawn on 26th July 2019. This presentation showcases the design and security of this note. Interestingly, it compares the same with the Rs 2,000, India's largest denomination (in recent times) and compares the similarities in both designs.
To download the presentation, click here
"Banking on World Heritage"
UNESCO Heritage site on the banknotes of G20 nations
1st December 2023
Conference Room, University of Pondicherry, INDIA
An illustrious exhibition namely Banking on World Heritage has been unfolded by the Regional Centre of IGNCA, Puducherry in collaboration with Dept. of Electronic Media and Mass Communication & Dept. of History, Pondicherry University at the premises of the Department of Electronic Media & Mass Communication, Silver Jubilee Campus, from 1st to 22nd December – 2023. The welcome Address was delivered by Dr. J. Gopal, Regional Director, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Pondicherry.
The inauguration ceremony commenced with a traditional lamp lighting, symbolising the illumination of knowledge and this was followed by the welcome address by Dr. Gopal Jayaraman, Regional Director, RCP. The introduction address was delivered by Ms. Rukmini Dahanukar, Independent Researcher & Founder, Money Talks also the curator of the exhibition. Prof. Malabika Deo, Dean, School of Management, Pondicherry University, presided over the inauguration ceremony as Chief Guest and witnessed the gracious presence of Dr. Radhika Khanna, Head, Department of Electronic Media and Mass Communication, Pondicherry University, as Guest of Honour and Prof. N. Chandrmouli, Department of History, Pondicherry University, as the Co‐ordinator of the Exhibition.
To download the conference report, click here
"Banking on Heritage"
Money Talks - a peek into the other side
5th December 2023
HSP Asia 2023 by Reconnaissance, Shangri La Colombo, SRI LANKA
An honour to present at the prestigious 'High Security printing / Asia 2023' conference organised by Reconnaissance in Colombo from 4th - 6th December 2023. The presentation was part of the 'Currency Developments' module.
Congratulations and gratitude to Reconnaissance for including a research presentation focusing on the cultural and symbolic side of banknotes thereby widening the narrative of the banknote design and security industry.
To download the presentation, click here
A special thank you to De La Rue for organising an exclusive plant visit at Biyagama to see the actual processing and printing of banknotes before they find themselves in our wallets.
An illustrious exhibition namely Banking on World Heritage has been unfolded by the Regional Centre of IGNCA, Puducherry in collaboration with Dept. of Electronic Media and Mass Communication & Dept. of History, Pondicherry
University at the premises of the Department of Electronic Media & Mass Communication, Silver Jubilee Campus, from 1st
to 22nd December – 2023. The welcome Address was delivered by Dr. J. Gopal, Regional Director, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Pondicherry.
The inauguration ceremony commenced with a traditional lamp lighting, symbolising the illumination of knowledge and this was followed by the welcome address by Dr. Gopal Jayaraman, Regional Director, RCP. The introduction address was delivered by Ms. Rukmini Dahanukar, Independent Researcher & Founder, Money Talks also the curator of the exhibition. Prof. Malabika Deo, Dean, School of Management, Pondicherry University, presided over the inauguration ceremony as Chief Guest and witnessed the gracious presence of Dr. Radhika Khanna, Head, Department of Electronic Media and Mass Communication, Pondicherry University, as Guest of Honour and Prof. N. Chandrmouli, Department of
History, Pondicherry University, as the Co‐ordinator of the Exhibition.
To download the conference report, click here
