Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary hails sattu, makhana in BRICS summit kit as ‘new identity’ for state

Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the move reflected the "new identity of a new Bihar".

Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhary on Friday hailed the inclusion of the state's iconic sattu and makhana in the welcome kit being given to journalists and delegates at the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi, calling it a moment of pride that showcased Bihar's "taste, tradition and entrepreneurship" on the global stage.

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary addresses during a public meeting. (@samrat4bjp X)

Reacting to the inclusion, Choudhary thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the move reflected the "new identity of a new Bihar", with the state's flavours now reaching an international audience.

"The new identity of a new Bihar — Bihar's flavours now before the world," Choudhary said in a post on X, crediting Modi for turning the "Local to Global" resolve into reality.

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The Bihar chief minister's reaction came after sattu, made from dry-roasted Bengal gram or whole black chickpeas, and makhana, or fox nuts, were included among the items in the summit kit prepared for media persons and delegates.

The sattu packet has been sourced from Madhubani and carries the brand name Sattuz, manufactured by Gorural Food & Beverages Private Limited. The Jaljeera-flavoured product is positioned as lactose-free, gluten-free and rich in vegetable protein.

The makhana, sourced from Purnia, is from the brand Farmley and is described as Achaari Chatka makhana, roasted in olive oil.

The inclusion of the two products has also drawn attention to Bihar's growing agri-food entrepreneurship and the effort to give locally produced goods a wider market through high-profile national and international events.

Sattuz founder Sachin Kumar, 43, said he was elated that his product had found a place in the BRICS welcome kit. His company, which began as a start-up in 2019, has a factory in Fatuha on the outskirts of Patna.

"Officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) under the industries department approached me three days ago to supply 1,500 packets of 200 grams each of sattu. We worked overtime to ensure timely delivery of our product within 48 hours," Kumar said.

He is now planning to launch a Sattuz Cafe in Patna's SK Puri locality.

What is in the BRICS media kit?

The media kit also features 100% Arabica coffee grown in the Koraput hills of Odisha and a block-printed stole from Gujarat. A bottle, coffee mug and stationery items, including a diary and pen, are also part of the hamper.

The kit is being distributed to journalists and delegates ahead of the 18th BRICS summit, which India is hosting at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12–13 under its 2026 BRICS chairmanship.

The summit, themed "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", is expected to bring together leaders from BRICS member and partner nations for discussions on trade, technology, energy and food security.