Auction of gifts received by Prime Minister Modi, will run till October 31
New Delhi: The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, is organizing an e-auction event showcasing a series of gifts and mementos presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This e-auction features a unique collection of artefacts showcasing the rich heritage. The e-auction starts from October 2 and will run till October 31, 2023.
Union Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi said about e-auction that there has been a rise in e-auction due to Durga Puja and Dussehra festivals. This e-auction is the 5th edition of the series of successful auctions, the first edition of which was held in January 2019. He said that in the last 4 editions, more than 7000 items were put up for e-auction. This time there are 912 items for e-auction.
He said that this major initiative of the Central Government is dedicated to conserving, restoring our national river, Ganga and promoting its sensitive ecosystem. The money received through this auction will be used to contribute to this great cause. This will strengthen our unwavering commitment to protect this invaluable national asset. Meenakshi Lekhi gave information about the ongoing e-auction of Prime Minister’s memento and highlighted important trends in it. The event was accompanied by a curated exhibition of souvenirs at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi, which was attended by over 15,500 visitors.
To ensure public participation, the exhibition included curated walkthroughs, sign language tours for the hearing-impaired and tactile experience tours for the visually impaired. The Minister highlighted the popularity of various items in the 5th edition of the e-auction, which included Statue of Lord Lakshmi Narayan Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini (23A0384), Souvenir of Kamdhenu with Calf (23A0776), Souvenir of Jerusalem (23A0580), Aranmula Kannadi (23A0039), brass statue of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman (23A0012), statue of Ram Darbar (23A0623), and model of Golden Temple Amritsar (23A0404) etc. Furthermore, the Minister highlighted indigenous artefacts with high artistic value which are very suitable to be kept in museums or in the homes of art lovers. These art works deserve respect and care. Some of these objects include Gond painting of Padmashree artist Durga Bai (23A0654), Chamba handkerchief (23A0348), Kavad art (23A0779), Yakshagana dance cap of Karnataka (23A0543) and Bust of Basavanna in Bidri art (23A0703) .
In keeping with tradition, the funds raised from this e-auction will be invested specifically in a noble cause in support of the Namami Gange programme. This major initiative of the Central Government is dedicated to conserving, restoring our national river, Ganga and promoting its sensitive ecosystem. The funds raised through this auction will strengthen our unwavering commitment to safeguard the country’s invaluable national assets.
