Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is often known for making statements with her sarees on Budget Day. Each year, she wears a saree that represents India's rich textile heritage and traditional craftsmanship, and this year was no different.
This year, Sitharaman chose to wear a beautiful off white saree with intricate golden work, paired 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.
However, this saree was more than just a piece of clothing--it also carried a special story.
The saree was a gift from Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi, a self-taught Madhubani artist from Bihar.
The finance minister met Dulari Devi during her visit to the Mithila Art Institute in Madhubani for a credit outreach event, where she presented the saree to Sitharaman and requested her to wear it on Budget Day.
As a tribute to Madhubani art and Dulari Devi's exceptional skill, Sitharaman honored the request by wearing the gifted saree to present the Budget on Saturday.
Dulari Devi's journey to becoming a celebrated Madhubani artist is nothing short of inspiring.
She comes from a fisherman community, which traditionally was not involved in painting.
However, she developed a passion for the art form while working for Karpoori Devi, an accomplished Madhubani painter.
Despite facing multiple hardships--being abandoned by her husband at 16, losing her child, and working as a domestic helper for 16 years--Dulari Devi never gave up.
Her paintings also spread awareness of important social issues like child marriage, AIDS, and female foeticide. Over the years, she has created 10,000 paintings and displayed them in over 50 exhibitions across India.
She has also trained more than 1,000 students through organizations like the Mithila Art Institute and Seva Mithila Sansthan, ensuring that the traditional art form thrives in future generations.
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, Sitharaman chose a pink Mangalgiri silk saree with gold borders, paired with her signature red bahi khata.
In 2020, she wore a yellow silk saree with green-lined borders, symbolizing hope and prosperity.
In 2021, she opted for a red and white Pochampally silk saree while promoting Indian weaving communities.
In 2022, Sitharaman 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.
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