Briefcases, 'bahi khata', tablet: How Budget presentation changed over the years

Nirmala Sitharaman gave an Indian touch to the Budget presentation by carrying a 'bahi khata' in 2019.

For decades, finance ministers have been seen carrying briefcases into the Parliament to present the Budget of the respective year. The tradition of carrying briefcases was handed over to us by the British. Independent India’s first finance minister, RK Shankmukham Chetty, continued the British fashion and carried the first Budget in a leather portfolio bag.

However, in 2019, Nirmala Sitharaman as finance minister, brought about a huge change. Instead of the traditional briefcase, she opted for a ‘bahi khata’, thereby giving the presentation an Indian touch. In 2021, Sitharaman gave way to modern technology by presenting the Budget on a made-in-India tablet, a paperless format.

From traditional colonial era briefcases to 'bahi khata' and modern-day tablet, the Budget has been presented in various forms throughout the years.

Briefcases:

India’s Budget briefcase was a copy of the ‘Gladstone Box’,

RK Shankmukham Chetty continued the colonial tradition of carrying a briefcase to present the Budget. India’s Budget briefcase was a copy of the ‘Gladstone Box’, named after British Chancellor of the Exchequer William Ewart Gladstone.

This trend continued for a few years and different finance ministers used different briefcases. The colour of the same continued to change as well.

‘Bahi Khata’:

Arun Jaitley carrying the Budget briefcase and Nirmala Sitharaman with 'bahi khata'.

To give the Budget an Indian flare, Sitharaman was seen with a right-red ‘bahi khata’ in 2019, instead of the traditional briefcase. “I thought it was better we move out from British handhold. And I thought it was good enough to do something on our own. It was easier for me to carry also and very Indian,” she said while talking about her decision.

The ‘bahi khata’ has been used in India for decades by business owners and households to maintain their accounts.

Tablet:

Nirmala Sitharaman presented the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Budget from a tablet.

Not leaving technology far behind, Sitharaman went paperless in 2021 and presented the Budget on a made-in-India tablet. Ditching the traditional briefcase or the famous ‘bahi khata’, the finance minister provided a modern touch to the annual Budget.

She carried the tablet to the Parliament wrapped in a red bahi khata-style pouch in 2021 and then again the following year. Budget 2023 was also presented on a tablet.

Meanwhile, Nirmala Sitharaman is all set to present the Interim Budget for financial year 2024-25 on February 1. A full-fledged Budget will be presented after the formation of the new government post the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.