Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget 2024 look: White and violet this time—a look at her sarees over the years

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, known for promoting traditional Indian textiles, wore an off-white checkered handloom saree with a contrasting purple and pink-hued blouse with a violet border for the presentation of the Union Budget, which she will present later today.

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will make history by presenting her seventh consecutive budget on July 23. This will be the first budget of the third term of the NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nirmala Sitharaman will surpass the record of Morarji Desai, who presented six consecutive budgets. 

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Here's a look at the sarees she wore over the years

She has actively promoted traditional handlooms since becoming the Finance Minister in 2019. Her sartorial choice from the current and previous Union budget sessions proves that she is a staunch supporter of handwoven fabrics.

Each year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's saree selection for the Union Budget presentation attracts increasing public attention.

When presenting her first budget in 2019, Sitharaman wore a plain pink Mangalgiri saree with a gold border. She made headlines by breaking the colonial tradition of bringing ledger papers in a briefcase, opting instead to carry the Budget documents in a traditional ‘bahi khata’.

In 2020, Sitharaman chose a vibrant yellow-gold silk saree, a colour symbolising prosperity and sacred significance.

For the 2021 Budget Day, she wore a red and off-white silk Pochampally sari with ikat patterns and a green border.

In 2022, she opted for a rust and maroon Bomkai saree, a traditional handloom fabric from the Sonepur district of Odisha.

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Prior to that, in 2023, the finance minister had worn a traditional temple border saree.

In February 2024, Nirmala Sitharaman opted for a blue-cream-coloured tussar silk saree with kantha handiwork.