01 February,2026 11:10 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with the digital tablet kept inside a red ‘bahi-khata’-style pouch ahead of presenting the Budget. PIC/PTI
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday once again underscored the government's blend of tradition and technology by carrying the Union Budget documents on a digital tablet kept inside a red âbahi-khata'-style pouch.
The move continues the paperless Budget practice introduced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. In 2019, Sitharaman had replaced the traditional leather briefcase - an inheritance from the British era - with the indigenous bahi-khata. Two years later, in 2021, she shifted to a digital tablet to carry the Budget papers, reinforcing a modern and environment-friendly approach.
The upcoming Budget presentation will be her ninth consecutive Budget as Finance Minister.
The bahi-khata, a red pouch holding the digital tablet containing the Budget documents, is adorned with the golden national emblem. It symbolises a clear departure from the colonial-era briefcase tradition that originated in 18th-century Britain and was followed in India for decades.
By adopting the bahi-khata, the Finance Minister sought to move away from colonial symbols and embrace an element rooted in Indian culture. After presenting her first Budget in 2019, Sitharaman had said it was time to shed the "British hangover" and opt for an indigenous alternative. She had also noted that the bahi-khata was easier and more convenient to carry.
Meanwhile, after presenting the Union Budget 2026-27 in Parliament at 11 a.m., Sitharaman will interact with around 30 college students from different parts of the country.
As part of the initiative, the students will witness the live Budget presentation from the Lok Sabha Gallery, giving them an opportunity to observe one of the most significant parliamentary proceedings of the year, according to an official statement.
The students have been selected from diverse academic streams, including commerce, economics, medical education and vocational courses, and represent various states across India. They will also visit the Ministry of Finance at Kartavya Bhawan-1 and interact with senior officials to gain insights into its functioning, policy formulation processes and the role of institutions in nation-building.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday created history by presenting a record ninth consecutive Union Budget, the longest streak by any Finance Minister. The Budget is expected to outline measures to sustain economic growth, maintain fiscal discipline, and introduce reforms aimed at cushioning the economy against global trade headwinds, including US tariffs.
With this, Sitharaman moves closer to the record of 10 Budgets presented by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai across different tenures. Desai had presented six Budgets during his term as finance minister between 1959 and 1964, and four more between 1967 and 1969.
Former finance ministers P Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee had presented nine and eight Budgets, respectively, under different prime ministers.
However, Sitharaman holds the distinction of presenting the highest number of Budgets consecutively - nine in a row - under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She was appointed India's first full-time woman finance minister in 2019 after Modi secured a decisive second term. Following the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance's (NDA's) return to power in 2024 for a third term, Sitharaman retained the crucial finance portfolio.
Taking charge of the Finance Ministry on May 31, 2019, Sitharaman has steered the economy through the Covid-19 pandemic and periods of geopolitical uncertainty, during which India emerged as the fastest-growing major economy in the world.
(With IANS and PTI inputs)
