A common thread conjoins the Indian rupee symbol and the logo of the newly set up Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, in Bihar - IIT-Guwahati associate professor D. Udaya Kumar is credited to have designed both.

While the rupee symbol has been in use since July 2010, the logo of the said university was recently put in use. It is in the form of a moving wheel, which symbolises the charkha (spinning wheel), which Mahatma Gandhi used. It has eight spokes.

The university vice-chancellor, Arvind Agrawal, told The Telegraph: "The new central university logo was selected on the basis of an open competition organised by the university. The moving wheel was selected as it is not only related to Gandhi but it also represents dynamism."

The process for designing a logo for the new university began in April 2016, when designs for the logo were invited from all central and state universities, Indian Institutes of Technology, National Institutes of Technology, National Institutes of Fashion Technology among other prominent institutions. But it was not satisfied with the entries received and extended the dates twice and finally the entry process was closed on February 8, 2017.

At that time, 99 entries from 48 individuals had been received of which two designs - one designed by Kumar and the other by designer Lucius JS Alberts - were selected. While Kumar's design went on to become the main logo, the one designed by Alberts, after some minor changes, was added as appendage to the main logo. Kumar made minor changes after getting Alberts' nod so that the pattern of letters and its colour schemes could become synchronous with the main logo.

A three-member committee, comprising famous designers Chinmaya S. Mehta and Douglas John and a member of the university's academic council, Arun Mishra, made recommendations on the basis of which the selection was made.

Sharing his experience about designing the logo of the university, Udaya Kumar said: "Designing a new thing is always a challenge as one has to provide a unique solution for all such challenges. In case of designing the logo of the university, I wanted to keep Mahatma Gandhi as the main theme of the logo and hence, the wheel, which is part of his charkha, was selected. One also had to keep in mind that the logo was meant for a university and hence, it should also symbolise how raw material is converted into a fine product. As charkha does that by converting raw cotton into fine thread, hence, I went ahead with the design."

The IIT associate professor, who completed his graduation in architecture and design from the School of Architecture and Planning at Anna University and then did his masters and doctorate in design from IIT-Bombay, said the eight spokes of the wheel represent the eight cardinal directions to show that knowledge is spreading in all directions from the university and also the moving wheel represents dynamism of the university.