The National Gallery of Modern Art will e-auction more than 1,200 gifts and souvenirs presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday on September 17. The collection from the auction will go to the Namami Gange Project, a flagship programme started by the Centre to conserve and rejuvenate the river Ganga.
"It is with pride that we announce the auction of these gift items from September 17 to October 2, 2022, and the general public is invited to participate in the same. This will be the fourth of the series of successful auctions, first launched by the PMO in January 2019. As in the past, the funds raised through the auction will contribute to a worthy cause the Namami Gange Programme," said Director General of NGMA Adwaita Gadanayaka to news agency ANI.
The NGMA will conduct the auction of mementos and gifts presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which are on display at the National Gallery of Modern Art, through the web portal https://pmmementos.gov.in.
The auction will conclude on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
"All these collector’s items will go under the hammer later this month and anyone can bid and acquire these historic gift items," said Gadanayak, according to ANI.
The wide range of gifts and souvenirs that will be auctioned includes some sports memorabilia.
Badminton racket, autographed by the ace shuttler, K Srikant is up for grabs this time. Also on the auction list are sports jerseys bearing autographs of the wrestling, hockey, lawn bowling, and para-powerlifting teams.
Statue of Rani Kamala Pati, presented by Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan to the Prime Minister, the Trishool presented by Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and the Amrit Kalash containing the sacred soil of Ayodhya are some other attractions that will go under the hammer.
This will be the fourth in the series of successful auctions, first launched by the PMO in January 2019.