Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a unique ₹300 coin commemorating the 300th birth anniversary of Malwa’s 18th-century monarch, Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar. The ceremony took place at the Women Empowerment Maha Sammelan, which was hosted at Jamboree Maidan in Bhopal.
This commemorative coin, released by the Union Ministry of Culture, depicts a delicately embossed portrait of Ahilyabai Holkar, symbolising her long-lasting influence on Indian history. The Ministry of Finance announced the issue of this special-edition coin in a gazette.
Before the unveiling, Prime Minister Modi paid tribute by garlanding the statue of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar. During the event, he also awarded the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Prize to Dr. Jaymati Kashyap of Bastar, Chhattisgarh, for her efforts to preserve the endangered Gondi language and her daring struggle to protect women from human trafficking.
Ahilyabai, born in 1725 in Chondi, Maharashtra, took over leadership of Indore in 1767 following the deaths of her husband and son. She ruled for about 30 years and was noted for her progressive policies, infrastructure development, and temple restoration initiatives, notably the well-known Kashi Vishwanath temple. Her reign earned her the moniker “Philosopher Queen of Malwa.”
