Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget Day attire symbolises India’s rich textile heritage

New Delhi: Nirmala Sitharaman made history this morning by presenting her eighth consecutive budget, the highest by any Finance Minister in India. She has also become known for wearing a different saree for each budget presentation, which represents India’s rich textile heritage and traditional craftsmanship.

This year, she chose an off-white coloured handloom silk saree with fish-themed embroidery and a golden border — a tribute to Madhubani Art. She paired it with a red blouse and a shawl while carrying her trademark ‘bahi-khata’, a tablet wrapped in a red-coloured cloth with a golden-coloured national emblem embossed on it.

The saree was gifted to Nirmala Sitharaman by Dulari Devi, a Bihar-based artist who received the Padma Shri award in 2021. She is known for illustrating two styles of Madhubani art — ‘Kachnhi’ (line sketching) ‘and ‘Bharni’ (coloured).

According to information, when Nirmala Sitharaman visited the Mithila Art Institute in Madhubani for a credit outreach activity, she met Dulari Devi during which they spoke of the art form. This was when Dulari Devi presented the saree and asked the Union Minister to wear it while presenting the new Budget.

This is not the first time Nirmala Sitharaman has used her saree to showcase India’s textile heritage. Over the years, her choice of sarees on Budget Day has celebrated various traditional weaves and fabrics.

In 2019, the Finance Minister chose a pink Mangalgiri silk saree with gold borders, paired with her signature red bahikhata. She also replaced the briefcase with a traditional ‘Bahikhata,’ carrying the budget papers in a red silk cloth adorned with a golden national emblem on top.

In 2020, she wore a yellow silk saree with green-lined borders, symbolising hope and prosperity. In 2021, she opted for a red and off-white Pochampally silk saree, featuring intricate ikat patterns on the pallu and a green border.

Traditionally crafted in Bhoodan Pochampally, Telangana, this weaving style hails from a region famously known as the ‘silk city of India.’ In 2022, the Finance Minister wore a brown and maroon Bomkai saree from Odisha, showcasing regional craftsmanship.

She chose to wear a red silk saree with black Kasuti embroidery, a craft from Karnataka, for the 2023 Budget Day. In 2024, she wore a blue Tussar silk saree with Kantha embroidery from West Bengal to present the interim budget. While, for the 2024 Union Budget, she opted for a white silk saree with magenta border with golden motifs.