Eighth PM Mementos e-Auction Opens With 1,498 Objects, Proceeds to Namami Gange

Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the eighth edition of the PM Mementos e-Auction in New Delhi, with Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal present at the event. Bidding will open on 17 September 2026 through the official portal, www.pmmementos.gov.in.

A total of 1,498 mementos are on offer this time. The collection brings together objects that reflect India's artistic traditions, traditional craftsmanship, cultural practices, spiritual traditions and sporting achievements, and the pieces have been drawn from different parts of the country, giving the sale a pan-India character.

The minister pointed to the state-wise spread of the collection as evidence of the country's geographical and cultural diversity. West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar and Odisha are among the states with the largest representations.

Fifty objects have been identified as Hero Objects for this edition. They include a silver memento of Lord Ram from Karnataka with a base price of ₹13.50 lakh, a silver replica of the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam at ₹9 lakh, a framed Tree of Life Gond art painting at ₹7.50 lakh, a Jagannath Parivar on Chariot at ₹6 lakh, and a 99.99 fine gold-plated framed Radha Krishna artwork at ₹5.40 lakh.

Shekhawat said successive editions of the auction have drawn participation from citizens, collectors and institutions, and described the initiative as a transparent way of making the mementos accessible to the public while encouraging appreciation of the country's artistic and cultural traditions. Proceeds from the sale are transferred to the Namami Gange Programme, linking the preservation of cultural heritage with the national effort to rejuvenate and conserve the River Ganga.

The National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, under the Ministry of Culture, has handled the documentation, exhibition and operational work for the initiative. The process involves coordination with the National Informatics Centre for technical and portal support, concerned authorities for evaluation and valuation, the State Bank of India for the payment gateway, and a designated fine art handling agency for packing and delivery of purchased objects.

An accompanying exhibition will allow visitors to view the mementos and assess their artistic and cultural significance before taking part in the auction, and to explore the range of traditional crafts and cultural expressions represented in the collection. The Ministry of Culture has invited citizens, collectors, institutions, corporates and art enthusiasts to browse the collection, visit the exhibition and bid in the eighth edition.