The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is India’s largest public sector insurer, established in 1956. Its logo is one of the most enduring images of the life insurance business in India, described for decades as “the two hands gently circling the lamp.”[1]
Design and History
The LIC logo consists of a flame symbolizing “life” with two shielding hands of “life insurance” indicating its protection, with the Sanskrit legend below it, “Yogakshemam Vahmyaham,” derived from the Bhagwad Gita.[2] The LIC headquarters at Nariman Point in south Mumbai is also named “Yogakshema.”[3]
To mark its Golden Jubilee year, which ran from 1 September 2005 to 31 August 2006, LIC adopted a new logo based on the mathematical Golden Ratio. The ratio of the width of the blue box to the yellow box is 1:1.618, which is called the golden ratio.[4]
In June 2021, LIC issued a public warning over the unauthorized use or misuse of its iconic logo, barring websites, publishing houses and digital entities from publishing the logo without prior permission, and warning of strict legal action, both civil and criminal.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The logo’s symbolism is direct and has been explained by the brand itself. The two hands represent protection, while the flame represents the life that is being protected.[2] The Sanskrit motto “Yogakshemam Vahmyaham” is an assurance to the people of India, representing a promise rendered by the corporation.[5]
The logo, representing the protective hands gently circling a lamp, evokes trust. Its logo, image, colours and everything else in the brand kit symbolises “old trust.”[6]
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