Sadri
In its own language: सदरी
A sleeveless vest-jacket worn by men in South Asia, over a kurta or qameez
The sadri is a sleeveless vest-jacket worn over a kurta, qameez, achkan or angarkha by men in South Asia. It began as dress of the peasant class, embroidered in folk styles for festive days, and is now everyday wear in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, with a women's version called the koti.
When is Sadri kept?
Sadri is kept on worn all year round, and more often in winter.
The sadri is a sleeveless vest-jacket worn by men in South Asia. It goes over a kurta, qameez, achkan or angarkha, and it is common enough to count as everyday dress. Historically it belonged to peasant wear and was embroidered for festivals. Today it is worn across Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, and it gives extra warmth in the cold. In Europe and America it is known as the Nehru vest.
What it is
A sadri is a sleeveless jacket, cut like a vest, that is worn over other clothes. It has no sleeves, so it leaves the arms free and sits close to the body. Men wear it over an achkan, an angarkha, a qameez or a kurta. In Hindi and Urdu the name is sadri, and the same garment is also called a waskat or a bandi. A women's version, cut and decorated differently, is called a koti. Some sadris are plain cloth for daily use; others carry embroidery and are kept for celebrations.
Origins and history
The sadri is described as dress that belonged to the peasant class. In that setting it was often decorated with folk embroidery in a range of styles, and a decorated sadri was worn for festive occasions. The same jacket is now part of everyday wear for men, and it has also become popular among the political class across South Asia. In Europe and America the sleeveless garment became known as a Nehru vest, and that is still the name many English speakers use for it.
How it is worn
The sadri goes on over a tunic, so the collar and the lower part of the kurta or qameez show at the edges. Because it has no sleeves, it sits easily over a complete outfit and leaves the arms free. It is ordinary dress for men, worn through the year, and in the cold it is worn more often, adding a layer of warmth. Plain versions serve for daily wear, and embroidered ones come out for celebrations.
The women's koti
Women sometimes wear a similar waistcoat called a koti. It is related to the men's vest but not identical: the koti differs from the sadri and the bandi in size and in decoration. It has traditionally been worn over a choli, a gagra choli, an angarkha or a shalwar kameez. Gota embroidery is commonly used on the koti. These jackets belong to the same family of dress in South Asia, and each is a separate layer put on over a complete outfit.
How Sadri is kept
A man puts on his kurta, qameez, achkan or angarkha first, then the sadri over it. The jacket is sleeveless, so the tunic shows at the neck, the arms and the hem. Through the year it is ordinary dress; in winter it is worn more, for warmth. For festive occasions an embroidered sadri is brought out instead of a plain one. Women who wear a koti follow the same order, laying it over a choli, a gagra choli, an angarkha or a shalwar kameez.
When and where
It is worn all year as everyday dress for men, and it is worn more in winter, when the extra layer keeps the wearer warm. A decorated sadri with folk embroidery is kept for festive occasions; plain ones are for ordinary days.
The sadri belongs to South Asia and is worn in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. It is everyday dress for men there and is also popular among the political class across the region. Outside South Asia, in Europe and America, the same garment is known by another name, the Nehru vest. The women's koti appears over choli, gagra choli, angarkha and shalwar kameez.
What Sadri means
The sadri carries two faces in one garment. As dress of the peasant class it was working cloth, plain and practical. The same shape, decorated with folk embroidery, marked festive occasions, so in that setting the decoration itself carried the sense of celebration. It is also popular among the political class across South Asia. Abroad the garment is called the Nehru vest, a name it picked up in Europe and America and still keeps there.
Questions people ask about Sadri
When is Sadri kept?
Sadri is kept on worn all year round, and more often in winter.
What is a sadri?
A sadri is a sleeveless vest-jacket worn by men in South Asia. It goes over an achkan, an angarkha, a qameez or a kurta. The same garment is also called a waskat or a bandi, and in Europe and America it is known as a Nehru vest.
Where is it worn?
It belongs to South Asia and is described as everyday dress for men in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. It is also popular among the political class in the region. Outside South Asia, the name Nehru vest is used in Europe and America.
Do women wear one too?
Women sometimes wear a similar waistcoat called a koti. It differs from the sadri and the bandi worn by men in size and decoration, and gota embroidery is commonly used on it. It is worn over a choli, gagra choli, angarkha or shalwar kameez.
What is a Nehru vest?
It is the name used in Europe and America for the sadri, the sleeveless jacket worn over a tunic in South Asia. The sources record it alongside waskat and bandi and do not explain how the name came about.
See also
PaithaniA handwoven silk sari from Maharashtra, with a squared border and a peacock pallu
JambiyaA short curved dagger worn at the waist by Yemeni men, its handle a sign of status
AngarkhaA long-sleeved men's outer robe of the Indian subcontinent, named for guarding the body
SherwaniA long buttoned coat for men, worn at weddings and state occasions in South AsiaGood reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Sadri (clothing)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryParampara rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-14.
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