Computers should have the Re symbol: Montek

"It's quite a nice symbol. This thing (the rupee symbol) has to be brought into current usage. The most important thing is to make sure that in typewriters the symbol is somewhere there," he said here after a meeting with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Ahluwalia said changes should be made in both hardware and software systems of computers "so that when I want the symbol in, it should be there".

The rupee will soon join the elite currencies like the US dollar, the euro, British pound and Japanese yen in having a distinct identity.

The unique symbol--a blend of the Devanagri 'Ra' and Roman 'R' -- is designed by Bombay IIT post-graduate D Udaya Kumar, was approved by the Cabinet today. PTI PPB