Nirmala Sitharaman's 9th Budget: Kanchipuram Saree Signals Tamil Nadu Focus

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth Union Budget on February 1, 2026, choosing a hand-woven Kanchipuram silk saree.
• The purple Kattam Kanchipuram saree, with golden-brown checks and a coffee-brown border, honors Tamil Nadu's ancient weaving tradition.
• Sitharaman's saree choices often carry political significance, with this year's Kanchipuram selection potentially signaling focus on Tamil Nadu, which holds assembly elections this year.
• Past budget sarees include Madhubani Art (Bihar, 2025), Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh, 2024 Full Budget), Tussar Silk with Kantha Stitch (West Bengal, 2024 Interim Budget), and Ilkal silk with Kasuti work (Karnataka, 2023).
• Her attire consistently celebrates India's diverse textile traditions, highlighting local weavers and crafts, and replacing the colonial briefcase with a traditional 'Bahi Khata' in 2019.

Why It Matters: Nirmala Sitharaman's Kanchipuram saree for her 9th budget highlights Tamil Nadu's culture and political focus.