Varanasi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday last released a Rs. 250 commemorative coin to mark the 250th birth anniversary of Karnatak music maestro Muthuswami Dikshitar at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi.  

The programme was organised under the Centre of Excellence for Indian Knowledge Systems at IIT-BHU, according to a statement issued by the institute. The commemorative coin was issued by the Bank of India (RBI), Utkarsh Srivastava of IIT-BHU’s public relations department said. 

According to the Government mint’s website, the coin was available for purchase at Rs. 6,985, with 238 pieces listed in stock on Tuesday evening. 

Such commemorative coins are minted in limited quantities using precious metals and are primarily collected as memorabilia rather than used for regular transactions. Speaking on the occasion, Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the deep cultural and spiritual connections between Kashi and South Indian classical music. She recalled Dikshita’s association with Varanasi and his devotional compositions dedicated to deities such as Goddess Annapurna and Goddess Vishalakshi.