E-auction of gifts: The auction of over 600 gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin on Tuesday (September 17, coinciding with his birthday. This auction will continue until October 2, marking the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The grand auction will be conducted online and will be open to the public at large. Individuals keen to partake in this remarkable event may register and participate via the official website: https://pmmementos.gov.in/.
Mementos ranging from sports memorabilia from the 2024 Paralympic Games, shoes, a replica of the Ram temple and a silver veena gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are soon to be auctioned today, with the combined base price of all the items set at approximately Rs 1.5 crore, said Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
Price ranges from Rs 600 to Rs 8.26 lakh
Shekhawat conducted a walk-through of the exhibition featuring the Prime Minister’s mementos at the National Gallery of Modern Art on Monday. Addressing a press conference later, he said that the base prices for the auction of these gifts were determined by a government committee, with prices ranging from as low as Rs 600 to as high as Rs 8.26 lakh.
“Our prime minister has started a new culture of auctioning all mementos and gifts he gets. He used to do this as a chief minister as well,” Shekhawat said at a press conference here. “The gifts he receives are given back to the people through an auction, and the money earned through that is used for a noble cause — cleaning river Ganga,” the minister said.
Sixth e-auction
The minister further stated that this is the sixth edition in a series of successful auctions of Prime Minister mementos, initially launched in January 2019. These auctions have garnered more than 50 crores in five editions.
The Minister said that like in the previous editions, the proceeds from this edition of the auction will also be contributing to the Namami Gange Project, a flagship initiative of the government dedicated to the conservation and restoration of our national river, the Ganga, and the protection of its fragile ecosystem. The funds generated through this auction will provide support to this worthy cause, strengthening our commitment to preserving our environment, added the minister. The Minister urged the people to participate in the e-auction as it will serve a noble purpose, contributing to the public welfare.
Ram Darbar idol costs Rs 2.76 lakh
The auction features a diverse collection of traditional art forms, including vibrant paintings, intricate sculptures, indigenous handicrafts, and folk and tribal artifacts. Noteworthy items include traditional angavastras, shawls, headgear, and ceremonial swords. Religious artifacts are also prominent, with meticulously crafted temple models and statues of Hindu deities. The collection showcases distinguished works like Pichwai paintings, Khaadi shawls, Silver Filigree, Mata Ni Pachedi Art, Gond Art, and Madhubani Art, reflecting India's rich cultural heritage.
The highest-priced mementos include encased sports shoes from Paralympic bronze medalists Ajeet Singh, Simran Sharma, and silver medalist Nishad Kumar, along with a signed cap from silver medalist Sharad Kumar, all priced at approximately Rs 2.86 lakh.
Additionally, a badminton racket from Paralympic bronze medalists Nithya Sre Sivan and Sukant Kadam, and a discus from silver medalist Yogesh Khatuniya, are each priced at Rs 5.50 lakh. Other notable items include a model of the Ram Temple valued at Rs 5.50 lakh, a peacock statue at Rs 3.30 lakh, a Ram Darbar statue at Rs 2.76 lakh, and a silver veena at Rs 1.65 lakh. The lowest-priced mementos are cotton angavastrams, caps, and shawls, each priced at Rs 600.
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