Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday presented the Union Budget 2020-21.
During her opening remarks, Sitharaman, quoted a verse by Kashmiri Pandit poet, Pandit Dinanath Kaul Nadim.
Translated to Hindi, she said, "Humara watan khilte hue Shalimar bagh jaise, humara watan Dal lake mein khilte hue kamal jaisa, nau jawanon ke garam khoon jaisa, mera watan tera watan, humara watan, duniya ka sabse pyara watan" (Our nation is like Shalimar Bagh, our nation is like the lotus in the Dal Lake, our nation is like the energy of the youth, my nation your nation, our nation, the most adorable nation in the world).
Her remarks evoked thunderous applause from parliamentarians.
Nadim, incidentally, was a poet who wrote in English, Hindi, Urdu and Kashmiri. He was honoured with the Sahitya Academy Award in 1986 for "Shihul Kul", a collection of his poems.
There is a collection of about 150 poems written by Nadim, which includes English, Hindi, Urdu and Kashmiri. His notable poems include: "Bombur Te Yambarzal" (Opera), "Trivanzah" (Monologue), "Gris' Kur" (Peasant Girl), "Dal Hanzni Hund Vatsun" (The song of the Dal lake boatwoman), "Lachhi Chu Lakhcun" (Experimentation).
This is not the first time Sithraman has quoted poetry while announcing the budget. In 2019, she had made references to Chanakya Niti Sutra -- “Karya purusha karena lakshyam sampadyate. This translates to "determined human efforts can ensure that a task is completed".
She had also quoted an Urdu couplet by Manzoor Hashmi: Yakin ho tho koi raastha nikaltha hai, hawa ki ot bhi lekar chiraag jaltha hai.
(With inputs from agencies)
