IDRBT BankTech Museum

The advent of technology has ushered in significant changes in the way we bank. Technology has impacted the Banking Sector in a big way and banking is among the major areas which is leveraging the many benefits of technology not only to expand its reach, but to make banking available on the fingertips of the common person. From brick-and-mortar branches – which we necessarily had to visit – to mobile and smart banking, is a big leap with a big impact. This remarkable journey of Banking Technology in India, its impact on the common man, and what’s coming next, needs to be told and told well.

The IDRBT BankTech Museum, inaugurated on April 28, 2016, presents the evolution and growth of Banking Technology over the years, how banking technology has transformed the experience of banking and provides a peek into what’s coming next. The museum consists of the following six segments:

Game Changers

This section showcases the pioneers right from Ada Lovelace to Tim Berners-Lee who revolutionised the world of science and technology through their contributions. It presents in brief their key contributions, beginning with the invention of the first computer programme.

Front Runners

A collage displaying 21 renowned innovators brings together path-breaking innovators in the field of computer science. The collage includes Charles Babbage (the father of computers), John von Neumann (pioneer of quantum mechanics), Donald Knuth (father of the analysis of algorithms), etc.

Experience Centre

The Experience Centre takes one through the evolution of banking technology over the decades and the Banking Technologies coming next through the following sections:

  • Banking Technology – presents the evolution of banking technology since the days of mechanisation in the 1960s
  • Payment Systems – presents the journey of payment systems starting with coins, paper currency till the present day IMPS
  • Delivery Channels – presents the progress of delivery channels such as ATMs, credit & debit cards, internet and mobile banking and the advent of digital wallets, video banking, social banking, etc.
  • RBI & IT – presents the pioneering efforts made by RBI in enabling use of technology in the Indian Banking and Financial System
  • Future Banking – provides a peek into banking technologies of tomorrow such as omni channels, wearables, virtual currency, gamification, and augmented reality
  • IDRBT Initiatives – presents the initiatives taken by IDRBT to make Banking Technology happen in India.

Looking Forward

This section showcases futuristic banking technologies such as digital cash solutions.

Knowledge Corner

The Knowledge Corner is a treasure trove of a decade-wide collection of books on technology since the 1900s.

Activity Centre

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This centre is a vintage collection of exhibits which captures the evolution of computing and storage devices, communication systems and cryptography. It displays tools and devices such as Facit Machine, Metal Slide Ruler, TI Calculator, Abacus, Punch Cards, Transmitters, Morse Code Telegraph Key, Decoders and Ciphers, etc.

Please contact Dr. P. Syam Kumar, Assistant Professor, IDRBT at psyamkumar(at)idrbt(dot)ac(dot)in for more details on the IDRBT BankTech Museum.