New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore an off-white Mangalgiri saree with a magenta border from Andhra Pradesh to present the full Budget for 2024-25. Earlier in Feb. 2024, she wore a blue saree with Kantha stitch work, famous in West Bengal, while presenting the 2024 interim Budget.

In 2023, she opted for a red temple border saree, belonging to the Karnataka Dharwad region’s Ilkal silk saree with Kasuti work, which is hand-woven. In 2022, Nirmala Sitharaman wore a brown Bomkai saree, paying tribute to the handloom of Odisha from the Ganjam district.

In 2021, she chose an off-white Pochampally saree, known for its unique patterns, from Pochampally Village in Hyderabad. In 2020, she wore a yellow silk saree with a matching blouse to present the Budget. Yellow is considered a symbol of prosperity in India, and her saree was seen as symbolising the country’s rich culture and wealth.

In 2019, Nirmala Sitharaman replaced the traditional Budget briefcase with a red ‘bahi khata,’ symbolising prosperity, adorned with golden threads and a national emblem on top. She wore a pink Mangalgiri saree with golden borders on this occasion.