By Sneha Richhariya
Copyright tribuneindia
More than 1,300 gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will go under the hammer in an e-auction starting September 17, Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced on Tuesday.The seventh edition of the Prime Minister’s Mementoes e-auction will coincide with Modi’s 75th birthday and run until October 2. The launch was announced at a press interaction hosted at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi.The collection features paintings, sculptures, artefacts, idols, handicrafts, tribal items and sports memorabilia.Some notable items include a Pashmina shawl from Jammu & Kashmir, a Tanjore painting of Ram Darbar, a metallic statue of Nataraja, Rogan art from Gujarat depicting the ‘Tree of Life’ and a handwoven Naga shawl.A special feature this year is the inclusion of sports memorabilia gifted by India’s para-athletes who participated in the Paris Paralympics 2024. The items are currently on display at NGMA, New Delhi, where visitors can view them before placing their bids online.The ministry informed that since its first edition in January 2019, the auction has raised more than Rs 50 crore in support of the Namami Gange project.Price rangeMost expensive itemsStatue of Goddess Tulja Bhavani: Rs 1,03,95,000*A pair of spike shoes gifted by Paris Paralympic javelin star Ajeet Singh: Rs 7,70,000Model of Ram Mandir: Rs 5,50,000Least expensive itemsRed chunari with gold mirrors: Rs 600Saffron angavastra with lotus emblem: Rs 800Orange embroidered angavastra: Rs 900* These are starting pricesAll proceeds from this year’s auction will also go towards the same initiative, aimed at the rejuvenation, conservation and protection of the Ganga river and its ecosystem.The auction is open to participants from across the country, with details available on the auction portal.In last year’s e-auction, a standout item was a pair of running spike shoes gifted by high jumper Nishad Kumar to PM Modi. Kumar had worn them while winning a silver medal at the Paris Paralympics.The lowest-priced items in the auction, with starting bids of Rs 700, include a saffron-and-red angavastra, an Uttarakhand cap, a yellow potli and a fur cap.
