Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Travellers visiting this north Bihar town to catch glimpses of historical spots, such as writer George Orwells place of birth or places associated with Mahatma Gandhi's first civil disobedience movement on the Indian soil, may now have an added attraction.
A B.Ed. college situated in the town serving as the district headquarter for East Champaran district has showcased, inside its premises, nearly a score of mementos received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which went under the hammer earlier this year.
Among the mementos on display here are a cutout of the map of India, gifted by Bardoli MP Parbhubhai Vasava on which one finds a photograph of Modi along with depictions of his endeavours such as the Swachh Bharat Yojana, the Ujjwala scheme and the Start Up India initiative.
Another notable exhibit is a memento, designed like a Buddhist Stupa, which was presented to the prime minister by the Maharashtra government upon commencement of construction of a memorial of B R Ambedkar.
"It is a matter of pride for us that we happen to be the only ones in Bihar to have won some of the over 1,000 mementos in the auction.
"The funds thus generated were meant to be diverted for the Namami Gange project which would, again, be of benefit of our state since the holy river flows here," says Yamuna Sekaria who heads the 'Radha Krishna Seva Sansthan', the name by which the college is better known.
The son of Shambhu Nath Sekaria, a well-known social and environmental activist from Motihari, Yamuna Sekaria calls himself an ardent admirer of Modi, greatly impressed by his tireless energy and his passion to serve the nation.
Sekaria, however, declines to divulge the prices at which the items were sold at the auction, saying, all the participants had been requested to keep it a secret, since "it was not a sell off meant for commercial purposes".
PM Modi had visited the town in April last year when he inaugurated a railway station named 'Bapudham' highlighting the towns association with the Champaran Satyagraha, which Mahatma Gandhi had launched for oppressed indigo planters.
A certificate of appreciation issued by the National Gallery of Modern Arts issued to those who had spent their time and efforts in participation in the auction of the prime minister's mementos is also proudly displayed at the college.
