Union Budget 2023: Know story behind FM Nirmala Sitharman's ilkal silk saree worn during budget speech

Apart from the changes in the budget for the financial year 2023-24, Finance Minister's saree also becomes the talk of the town every year. Since taking charge in 2019, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has worn statement-making handloom sarees while presenting the Union Budget. This year, the fiance minister wore a handwoven ilakal silk red saree with a brown border. 

Sitharaman has always been vocal about promoting handloom sarees. In 2019, expressing her love for Indian textiles, the minister tweeted, “Silk or cotton, Orissa-handloom sarees are one of my favourites- the colour, the weave, the texture, just so good. (sic)."

For this year's budget, Nirmala Sitharaman chose a colourful handwoven red ilkal silk saree with Navalagunda embroidery on it. The saree, from Dharwad, Karnataka, was gifted to her by Pralhad Joshi. This saree was bought from Arati crafts of Dharwad.

Read: Budget 2023: FM announces maximum deposit level for Senior Citizens’ Saving Scheme from Rs 15 to 30 lakh

A total of seven plain ilkal silk sarees were sent to the minister in December. Of those seven sarees, she chose two, a dark red maroon and a blue one.

The embroidery work was done over it by Arati Crafts once the minister finalised the colours she preferred and then the sarees were sent back to her. The saree has peacock, lotus, chariot, and gopuram motifs embroidered on it.