As many as 1,498 gifts and mementos received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be put up for public bidding from Thursday as the Ministry of Culture launches the eighth edition of the PM Mementos e-auction. The collection brings together objects received by the Prime Minister from different parts of India, ranging from traditional artworks and handicrafts to religious artefacts and memorabilia associated with sporting achievements.
Auction starts Thursday
The e-auction will begin on September 17, with the ministry selecting 50 items as “hero objects” from this year’s collection. Among them, a silver memento of Lord Ram from Karnataka carries the highest base price at Rs 13.50 lakh. It is followed by a silver replica of the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam, which has a base price of Rs 9 lakh. A framed Gond artwork titled “Tree of Life” will enter bidding at Rs 7.50 lakh, while a Jagannath Parivar piece mounted on a chariot has been valued at Rs 6 lakh.
A framed Radha-Krishna artwork featuring 99.99 per cent fine gold plating carries a base price of Rs 5.40 lakh. The ministry said the objects showcased in the auction represent the diversity of India’s artistic traditions, craftsmanship, cultural practices, spiritual heritage and sporting accomplishments.
Gifts from across India
The mementos have come from different parts of the country, with West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar and Odisha accounting for a substantial share of the collection. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Wednesday that the initiative was based on the principle that gifts received by the Prime Minister in his official capacity should ultimately be returned to the people through a transparent public auction. The e-auction gives members of the public an opportunity to bid for the mementos while directing the proceeds towards a government conservation initiative.
Over Rs 52 crore raised
The PM Mementos auction was first organised in January 2019. Since then, successive editions have collectively generated more than Rs 52 crore, according to figures shared by the Culture Ministry in Parliament.
One of the most prominent objects sold through the initiative remains Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra’s javelin from the Tokyo Games. It fetched Rs 1.5 crore during the 2021 auction, making it the single biggest sale recorded under the programme. Previous editions have included paintings, sculptures, traditional handicrafts, ceremonial gifts, sporting equipment and other items presented to Modi during official engagements in India and abroad.
Funds for Namami Gange
As in earlier editions, money generated from the latest auction will be contributed to the Namami Gange Programme, the Centre’s flagship initiative for the conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga. The eighth edition will therefore combine the public sale of gifts received by the Prime Minister with fundraising for the river conservation programme, while showcasing a wide range of cultural and artistic objects from across the country.