Aadhaar: The UID brand name and logo
The brand name of the Unique Identification number (UID) will be Aadhaar. The name and logo for the unique numbers to be issued by the UIDAI have been developed keeping in mind the transformational potential of the program. Together, they communicate the essence and spirit of the UIDAI’s mandate to people across the country.
The UIDAI’s mandate is to issue every resident a unique identification number linked to the resident’s demographic and biometric information, which they can use to identify them anywhere in India, and to access a host of benefits and services. The number (referred to until now as the ‘UID’) has been named Aadhaar, which translates into ‘foundation’, or ‘support’. This word is present across most Indian languages and can therefore be used in branding and communication of the UIDAI program across the country.
As Mr. Nandan Nilekani, Chairman of the UIDAI notes, “The name Aadhaar communicates the fundamental role of the number issued by the UIDAI the number as a universal identity infrastructure, a foundation over which public and private agencies can build services and applications that benefit residents across India.”
Aadhaar’s guarantee of uniqueness and centralized, online identity verification would be the basis for building these multiple services and applications, and facilitating greater connectivity to markets
Aadhaar would also give any resident the ability to access these services and resources, anytime, anywhere in the country
Aadhaar can for example, provide the identity infrastructure for ensuring financial inclusion across the country – banks can link the unique number to a bank account for every resident, and use the online identity authentication to allow residents to access the account from anywhere in the country
Aadhaar would also be a foundation for the effective enforcement of individual rights. A clear registration and recognition of the individual’s identity with the state is necessary to implement their rights –to employment, education, food, etc. The number, by ensuring such registration and recognition of individuals, would help the state deliver these rights.
The Logo
The design, which has been selected as the logo for Aadhaar, is a sun in red and yellow, with a fingerprint traced across its centre. The logo effectively communicates the vision for Aadhaar. It represents a new dawn of equal opportunity for each individual, a dawn which emerges from the unique identity the number guarantees for each individual.