From RK Shanmukham Chetty To Nirmala Sitharaman, Know Who Presented The Maximum Number Of Budgets

The Budget Session for 2025-26 is set to commence on January 31 and will conclude on February 13. A second session will follow from March 10 to April 4.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the second Union Budget of Modi 3.0 on February 1, 2025. This marks a significant milestone as it will be her eighth consecutive budget, making her the only finance minister in India to achieve this feat.

In the previous budget, presented on July 23, 2024, the total estimated expenditure stood at ₹48.20 lakh crore. This figure is now expected to surpass ₹50 lakh crore in the upcoming budget on February 1, 2025.

Historic Budget Records: Who Has Presented The Most Budgets?

Bharat Express delves into history to highlight finance ministers who hold the record for presenting the highest number of budgets.

The First Budget Of Independent India

After gaining independence on August 15, 1947, India’s first budget was presented on November 26, 1947. This was an interim budget tabled by R.K. Shanmukham Chetty, the first finance minister of independent India.

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The total budget allocation was ₹171.15 crore, with a fiscal deficit of ₹24.59 crore. Notably, this budget was presented for a seven-and-a-half-month period rather than a full financial year.

Morarji Desai: The Finance Minister With The Most Budgets

Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai holds the record for presenting the highest number of budgets. 10 in total, a record that remains unbroken.

His tenure as finance minister is divided into two phases:

First tenure (1959-1963): Presented four consecutive Union Budgets and one interim budget in 1962.
Second tenure (1967-1969): Presented one interim budget (1967) followed by three consecutive Union Budgets (1967-1969).

Desai presented his first budget on February 28, 1959, and remains one of the most influential finance ministers in India’s economic history.

Nirmala Sitharaman’s Record-Breaking Streak

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been presenting the budget continuously since 2019. On February 1, 2025, she will present her eighth consecutive budget, matching the record of former President Pranab Mukherjee.

She surpassed Morarji Desai’s record of six consecutive budgets on July 23, 2024, by presenting her seventh in a row.

So far, Sitharaman has tabled one interim budget and six Union Budgets, with the upcoming one being her eighth.

P Chidambaram: Second Highest Budget Presenter After Morarji Desai

Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P. Chidambaram has presented the budget nine times, making him the second-most prolific finance minister after Morarji Desai.

Chidambaram’s first budget was presented in 1996 during the tenure of Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. He continued to present budgets during the UPA 1 and UPA 2 governments.

Pranab Mukherjee: Eight-Time Budget Presenter

The late Pranab Mukherjee, who later became the President of India, presented his first budget in 1982. Over his career, he presented a total of eight budgets, including three consecutive ones from 2009 to 2012.

Conclusion

As India gears up for the 2025-26 Budget Session, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to make history with her eighth consecutive budget. While leaders like Morarji Desai, P. Chidambaram, and Pranab Mukherjee have left an indelible mark on India’s financial landscape, Sitharaman is now among the most prolific finance ministers in the country’s history.

With the budget expected to cross ₹50 lakh crore, all eyes will be on Sitharaman as she unveils the government’s financial roadmap for the coming year.