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FM Nirmala Sitharaman Quotes: In her budget speeches, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is known to mention quotes from famous philosophers, thinkers and poets to support the policies adopted
Nirmala Sitharaman Quotes: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is known to infuse poetry and phrases in her budget speeches.
Key Quotes Nirmala Sitharaman: Union Finance Minister, who is known to invoke thoughtful quotes from poets and philosophers to underline the changes introduced in the Union Budget, has once again infused quote of Telugu poet and playwright Gurujada Apparao in her 2025 Budget speech on Saturday.
The finance minister started her Budget speech with Apparao’s quote “Desamante matti kaadoyi, desamante manushuloyi” (Country is not just the mud and soil, Country means people) which she picked from his classic Telugu poem, ‘Desamunu Preminchumanna’.
Gurujada Apparao was a poet, writer, social reformist and feminist who openly spoke about discrimination against women.
The finance minister has a history of adding cultural references to these speeches which project the government’s vision and present the fiscal policies which will be adopted in the coming fiscal year.
Here’s a recap of the quotes and phrases used by the finance minister in her last budget speeches.
A Throwback At FM Sitharaman’s Legacy Of Quotes
Chanakya Niti In 2019
The finance minister presented her first Budget in 2019 in which she quoted the Chanakya Niti, which is classical Tamil literature’s Sangam-era piece.
“Karya purusha karena lakshyam sampadyate (With determined human efforts, the task will surely be completed),” the finance minister quoted from the Chanakya Niti.
Sitharaman also used Urdu poet Manzoor Hashmi’s couplet.
“Yaqin ho to koi rasta nikalta hai
hawa ki ot bhi le kar chirag jalta hai“
(You can find a way if you believe in yourself, just as an earthen lamp can also lighten up despite the air blowing around.)
Lastly, she quoted Swami Vivekananda to emphasise the significance of women’s empowerment.
“There is no chance of the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing.“
Sitharaman Invokes Kashmiri Poet In 2020
After the abrogation of Article 370, the finance minister invoked Kashmiri poet Pandit Dina Nath Kaul in her Budget speech in 2020.
“Hamara vatan, khilte hue Shalimar Bagh jaisa
Hamara vatan, Dal jheel main khilte hue kamal jaisa
Nau-jawanon ke garam khoon jaisa
Mera vatan, tera vata, hamara vatan
Duniya ka sabse pyaara vatan.”
(Translation: Our country is like a blooming Shalimar Bagh, like the lotus in Dal Lake, and like the fiery blood of our youth.)
The finance minister also quoted poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar, when speaking about the five “jewels” needed for a “good country”.
“Piniyinmai Selvam Vilaivinpam Emam Aniyenpa Naattiv Vaindhu.“
(The country’s five jewels are: without epidemic or illness, wealth, farm, productivity or crop, happiness and good defence).
FM Remembers Tagore Amid Pandemic In 2021
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, Finance Minister Sitharaman shifted to Rabindranath Tagore in her budget speech.
“Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.“
FM Invokes Mahabharat In 2022
The budget speech of 2022 did not see mention of any poetry but the Hindu epic ‘Mahabharat’ over the issue of tax collections.
The finance minister, while quoting Mahabharata’s ‘Shanti Parva’ said, “The King must make arrangements for yogakshema, which means the welfare of the populace, by way of abandoning any laxity and governing the state in line with Dharma, along with collecting taxes which are in consonance with the Dharma.“
However, after 2022, the budget speeches of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman remained devoid of any poetry or quotes from philosophers and thinkers.