Just days after declaring his company as the world’s 4th largest electric vehicle maker, Ola co-founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal has found himself in a new controversy. Aggarwal, known for frequently sharing his controversial opinions on social media, recently sparked a new debate with a tweet questioning why the rupee sign hasn’t replaced the dollar sign ‘$’ on keyboards in India ‘₹’.
In his tweet, Aggarwal stated, “Maybe this has something to do with it! Wonder why the $ is not replaced with ₹ in products sold in India.” He also shared a photo of a keyboard, highlighting the $ sign. The tweet quickly gained attention and prompted a wave of responses online, with some people criticising Aggarwal’s remarks and some talking in his favour.
Maybe this has something to do with it! Wonder why the $ is not replaced with ₹ in products sold in India pic.twitter.com/LteKrcfd9b
— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) August 24, 2024
One user commented, “Change begins at home. Next time you give a presentation, use ₹ instead of $. Then come back and morally police other brands.”
Change begins at home.
Next time you give a presentation, use ₹ instead of $
Then come back and moral police other brands. pic.twitter.com/9tJ7onrscZ
— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) August 24, 2024
One user explained, “Only a person who works on MS Excel knows the answer. $ is used to freeze a row or column in Excel formulas, and ₹ can’t do that. That’s why $ is used universally for that purpose. However, you can anytime use ₹ in your computer.”
Some supported Aggarwal, arguing that the rupee symbol deserves more recognition. One user remarked, “The use of $ in global formulas has become the norm due to its widespread acceptance, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t advocate for our own ₹. Promoting the Indian currency and ensuring it gets the recognition it deserves in both local and international products.”
While another added, “₹ needs more visibility in the products we use. Bhavish’s push is about embracing our currency with pride.”
₹ needs more visibility in products we use. Bhavish’s push is about embracing our currency with pride. 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
— Krishna Maheshwari (@krishnaeyee) August 24, 2024
What do you think? Should the Rupee replace the dollar sign?
