Nepal issues new 100 rupee note, includes map of three Indian territories

New Delhi: Nepal’s central bank, the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), issued a new 100 rupee note on Thursday. This note features a revised map of Nepal, showing Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura as part of Nepal. India has objected to the designation of these areas as part of Nepal.

The new note bears the signature of former Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari. The date of issue is 2081 Vikrami Samvat (2024). In May 2020, the government of then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli issued a new political map, showing these three disputed areas within Nepal’s borders. Later, the Nepalese Parliament also approved this map. At that time, India strongly opposed Nepal’s move, calling it a unilateral decision. India stated that such an exaggerated expansion of the map was unacceptable. India claims these three territories as its own.

According to a spokesperson for the Nepal Rastra Bank, the old 100 rupee note also featured a map of Nepal, but following a government decision, the new note has been revised. He explained that the 10, 50, 500, and 1000 rupee notes do not feature a map. Only the 100 rupee note features a map of Nepal.

The new note’s design incorporates several elements. The left side of the note features an image of Mount Everest. The right side features a watermarked image of Nepal’s national flower, the red rhododendron. The center of the note features a light green map of Nepal. The Ashoka Pillar and Lumbini are inscribed near the map.

The reverse side of the note features a one-horned rhinoceros. For security purposes, it features a security thread and a raised black dot, making it easier for visually impaired people to identify it. Nepal shares a border with India spanning approximately 1,850 km, connecting Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. 100 Nepalese rupees are worth ₹62.56 in India.