Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, released a special commemorative coin of Rs 125 on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, an Indian spiritual leader and the founder-acharya of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) commonly known as ‘Hari Krishna Movement’ which is now spread across the world with hundreds of Temples and cultural centres. He founded ISKCON in 1966.
Who was Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:
Bhaktivedanta Swami was born in 1896 as Abhay Charan De in Kolkata (then Calcutta), graduated in Chemistry in Scottish Church College, Calcutta following which he married and started a small pharmaceutical business. In 1959, he quit the pharmacy business to become a monk.
He later moved to the US where he disseminated Vedic literature. Nearly 100 ashrams, Gurukuls, Temples, and farmhouses are believed to be established by him across many western countries. In West Virginia, US, he established New Vrindaban Temple in 1968. Swami Prabhuda died on 14 November, 1977 at the age of 81 in Vrindavan, India.
PM Modi released the coin in a virtual ceremony which was also attended by Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, G. Kishan Reddy and several members of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
Official twitter handle of ISKCON,Inc tweeted the photo of the special coin:
Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji released a special coin of ₹125 on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
#125prabhupada pic.twitter.com/glq3KdygwR
— Iskcon,Inc. (@IskconInc) September 1, 2021
What are Commemorative Coins:
Commemorative coins are issued to honour particular personalities and events with a distinct design with reference to the occasion on which they were issued. Many coins of this category serve as collectors items only, although some countries also issue commemorative coins for regular circulation.
In India, commemorative coins can be directly purchased from the mint office of RBI situated in Kolkata and Mumbai or from online platforms of the mints or SPMCIL. Generally, ads for such booking appear in newspapers and there is a time period in which one can book such sets. Typically, bookings begin almost three-six months in advance.
Faraaz
Faraaz is pursuing PG Diploma in TV Journalism from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
