The logo of any city is a visual representation of its identity and offers a glimpse into its character and personality. In the 5th Business World Smart Cities Conclave and Awards, held on 20th December in New Delhi, the Union Territory of Puducherry won the award for ‘Innovative Logo for Smart City’ impressing the jury with its logo design, reports The Hindu.
The predominantly blue-hued logo with a grid of muted yellow captures the essence of this francophone seaside town.
The word ‘Pondichéry’, the name given by the French rulers which still lives on the tongues of residents and tourists, is just above the waters of Bay of Bengal, under which sits the phrase ‘ville smart’ meaning ‘smart city’ in French. Surrounding this image are iconic monuments and geographical indicators that give the beloved ‘Pondy’ its identity. Directly above the name is the silhouette of the Mahatma Gandhi statue with the backdrop of the war trophy from the historical Gingee fort, also known as the ‘Troy of the East’!
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On the left side of the statue is the Aayi Mandapam built by Napolean III in honour of Devadasi Aayi who sacrificed her own house so that a water body could be built for the public to manage drought. Next to the mandapam is a cycle, alluding the cycle-friendly nature of the city. On the right, you can see the first lighthouse of east coast of India located in Puducherry’s beach promenade and the statue of French general, Joseph Francois Dupleix.
The logo was submitted by the Puducherry Smart City Mission Limited for Smart Cities Conclave and Awards, which is a platform that endeavours to engage smart cities thought leaders and innovators to bring forth smart and sustainable ideas that can link our progressive cities to solutions that are best suited for them.
The authorities believe that the logo epitomises the collective aspirations of its citizens to transform Puducherry into a Global Tourism Destination by leveraging its spiritual, cultural and heritage values, while also symbolising the emergence of ‘city’ as an organic liveable entity that is set to transform the lives and livelihoods of its citizens for the better.
Featured Image Courtesy: Flickr/ Abhinay Omkar
