New Delhi, Sep. 19 — The online auction of gifts presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun, with more than 1,300 items up for sale. The auction, the seventh since 2019, opened on Modi’s birthday yesterday (Sept. 17) through the official portal www.pmmementos.gov.in and will continue until October 2.
Items are priced between Rs 1,700 and Rs 1.03 crore, with proceeds going to the Namami Gange (Clean Ganga) project, as in previous years.
Among the highlights this year are mementos received from athletes who shone at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. These include the shoes of Nishad Kumar (silver medallist in high jump), Ajeet Singh (silver medallist in F46 javelin throw), and Simran Sharma (bronze medallist in 200m T12), each valued at Rs 7.7 lakh.
The Goddess Bhavani statue, with a base price of Rs 1.03 crore, is the most expensive item listed. Other notable pieces include the Ayodhya Ram Temple model, priced at Rs 5.5 lakh, along with statues, paintings, traditional hats, and swords.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that over the past six years, more than 7,000 gifts have been auctioned, raising Rs 50.33 crore, all of which has been donated to the Clean Ganga project.
