Before presenting the Union Budget in Parliament on Sunday (February 1), Union Finance (FM) minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her team met President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Following tradition, the President offered the Finance minister 'dahi-cheeni' (curd and sugar) and blessed her. Dressed in a magenta silk saree, she held a tablet in a red pouch featuring the national emblem.
Others accompanying the Finance minster were Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, Chief Economic Advisor Dr V Anantha Nageswaran, Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Ravi Agrawal and other officials of the Finance Ministry.
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Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget. This will equal former Finance minister P Chidambaram's record and exceed that of Pranab Mukherjee. Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai still holds the record for presenting the most Union Budgets in independent India.
Tradition of 'dahi-cheeni'
It’s important to recognise that the Indian culture is deeply rooted in rituals that represent positivity and good fortune. As part of this tradition that occurs each year before the presentation of the Union Budget, the President offers 'dahi-cheeni' (curd and sugar) to the Finance minister before they leave to present the Budget. In Indian tradition, curd and sugar symbolise prosperity, luck and the successful completion of an important task.
#WATCH | President Droupadi Murmu feeds Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman the customary 'dahi-cheeni' (curd and sugar) ahead of her ninth consecutive Union Budget presentation. pic.twitter.com/WouiznFEMr
— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2026
FM's attire
While the focus on remain on fiscal discipline and spending priorities, the Finance minister's choice of attire also draws attention. On the occasion, she highlights the traditional textiles in an effort to support artisan communities, which are in line with the 'Vocal for Local' of the government. This year, she chose a deep maroon Kanjeevaram saree from Tamil Nadu with a rich maroon base and a contrasting border with subtle gold detailing.
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Record of Budget presentations
Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth Budget on February 1. Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai holds the record for the most Budgets presented in Independent India. He delivered 10 Budgets, six during his time as Finance minister from 1959 to 1964 and four more from 1967 to 1969. In second place is former Finance minister P Chidambaram, who presented nine Budgets. With Sunday's presentation, Nirmala Sitharaman will officially tie with him and inch closer to Morarji Desai's record.
