New Delhi:
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is known for making statements with her sarees on Budget Day. Every year, she wears a saree that represents India’s rich textile heritage and traditional craftsmanship. This year was no different.
This year, Ms Sitharaman 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.
This is not the first time Ms 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 bahi khata. She also replaced the briefcase with a traditional ‘Bahi Khata,’ carrying the budget papers in a red silk cloth adorned with a golden national emblem on top.
In 2020, Ms Sitharaman wore a yellow silk saree with green-lined borders, symbolizing 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.
Ms Sitharaman 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, Ms Sitharaman opted for a white silk saree with mangenta border with golden motifs.