Eighth PM Mementos e-Auction Opens With Over 1,500 Gifts on the Block
The eighth PM Mementos e-Auction, organised by the Ministry of Culture through the NGMA, is offering more than 1,500 gifts received by PM Modi, with proceeds going to Namami Gange.
More than 1,500 gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are open for public bidding in the eighth edition of the PM Mementos e-Auction, an exercise organised by the Ministry of Culture through the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi. Bidding began on September 17.
The collection spans traditional art, sculpture, textiles, architectural models, sporting memorabilia and technology exhibits, drawing together mementos presented to the Prime Minister on various occasions.
Among the Gujarat-linked pieces are representations of the Hatkeshwar Mahadev Temple in Vadnagar, the Ambaji Temple, the Somnath Temple and the Dwarkadhish Temple. These sit alongside traditional art forms such as Mata ni Pachedi, Pithora painting, Bhujodi shawls and Lippan art, as well as a representation of India's first solar tile, featuring engraved glass inspired by the Modhera Sun Temple.
Modern institutions and technology also find a place, including a replica of AIIMS Rajkot and an INS Vikrant commemorative semiconductor plaque titled "Charkha to Chips".
A framed cloth-craft map of Gujarat, listed at Rs 60,000, is among the highlights grouped as "Hero Mementos". Made with tie-dye fabrics, block prints and handmade embroidery, it incorporates bells, dolls and seashells. Another featured work is a framed Rogan painting of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra, created with the traditional Kutch technique that uses a paste made from boiled castor oil, listed at Rs 45,000.
Sporting items include an autographed jersey of the Indian Para Table Tennis team, carrying signatures of players such as Bhavina Patel, Poonam, Yashwant and Suman. Also on display is the shooting jacket associated with Paralympic gold medallist Avani Lekhara, described as an official competition jacket and listed at Rs 2.25 lakh. An INS Nilgiri scale model reproducing the details of the Indian Navy's stealth guided-missile frigate is part of the collection as well.
Proceeds from the auction will go to the Namami Gange Programme, the national mission for the conservation, rejuvenation and protection of the River Ganga and its ecosystem. Launched in January 2019, the PM Mementos e-Auction has raised more than Rs 50 crore for the project through its earlier editions.