Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal questions presence of US dollar sign on keyboards

He suggested it should be replaced by the rupee symbol

The move has triggered an online debate

Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal recently sparked a debate online by questioning the presence of the US dollar sign on keyboards of laptops and computers sold in India, suggesting it should be replaced by the rupee symbol. In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on August 24, Aggarwal highlighted a keyboard with the dollar sign and questioned why many in the financial world still use “INR” instead of the rupee symbol. He speculated that the dominance of the dollar sign on keyboards might be a factor. 

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

The post quickly went viral, amassing over 1.4 million views, but it left the internet divided. While some users supported Aggarwal’s suggestion, others disagreed, pointing out practical and technical reasons for the continued use of the dollar sign.

Also Read: Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal’s ‘Krutrim’ becomes India’s first AI startup to become a Unicorn

One user warned, “Patriotism and jingoism have very small gaps. You are crossing that line, intentionally or unintentionally.” Another highlighted a technical reason, noting, “The US dollar sign is crucial in programming languages like Perl.”

Others responded with sarcasm, with one comment suggesting, “Why not replace the ‘OLA’ logo on your scooters with ‘₹’ first?” Another user explained, “In Excel, the dollar sign is used to freeze rows or columns in formulas. The rupee sign can’t serve that purpose.”

Aggarwal’s post continues to generate discussion, reflecting the broader debate on balancing national pride with global practicality.