The Government of India will issue a ₹200 commemorative coin to mark the 200th Birth Anniversary of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati. The Ministry of Finance issued a gazette notification on October 30, 2025, confirming this coin.
Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati was a revered social reformer and the founder of the Arya Samaj, a movement dedicated to promoting values based on the Vedas. Born in 1824 in Gujarat, he worked tirelessly to eradicate social evils such as caste discrimination, idol worship, and child marriage. His motto, “Back to the Vedas,” inspired a spiritual and intellectual awakening across India. Through his teachings, he emphasized education, equality, and truth, laying the foundation for social and cultural reform in modern India. His vision greatly influenced the freedom movement and continues to guide generations toward righteousness and self-reliance.
The metal composition of the ₹200 coin will consist of a Nickel Silver, comprising 60% Copper, 20% Nickel, and 20% Zinc. The coin will weigh 32 grams and have a diameter of 44 mm, featuring 200 serrations along the edge. The coin’s description is as follows.
Obverse: The face of the coin shall bear the Lion Capitol of Ashoka Pillar in the center with the legend “सत्यमेव जयते” inscribed below, flanked on the left periphery with the word “भारत” in Devanagari script and on the right periphery with the word “INDIA” in English. It shall also bear the Rupee symbol “₹” and denominational value “200” in the international numerals below the Lion Capitol.
Reverse: This face of coin shall bear the image of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati at the centre. The year ‘2025’ in international numeral shall be inscribed below the image. The inscription “महर्षि दयानंद सरस्वती की 200वीं जयंती” shall be written in Devanagari script on the upper periphery of the coin and the inscription “200th Birth Anniversary of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati” in English shall be written on the lower periphery of the coin. The year ‘1824’ in international numerals shall be inscribed on the left side of the image and the year ‘2024’ in international numerals shall be inscribed on the right side of the image. Image of fire pit shall be depicted on both left and right periphery of the coin, dividing Hindi and English text inscription.
This commemorative coin was first anticipated and mentioned on this blog as early as February 2023. It will be the first commemorative coin to be issued in Nickel Silver, which is a welcome move for collectors, especially as quaternary alloy and pure silver coins have become increasingly expensive owing to the recent surge in silver prices. The possibility and upcoming coins page have been updated for your reference.
