Over 1,300 gifts received by Modi to go under hammer from September 17

A Tanjore painting of Ram Durbar, a metallic statue of Nataraja and sports memorabilia gifted by India’s para-athletes would be among the over 1,300 gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which would be auctioned from September 17.

Addressing the 7th edition of the Prime Minister’s Mementoes E-Auction here, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that items that will be auctioned include paintings, artefacts, sculptures, idols of gods and goddesses and some sports items. The over 1,300 gifts received by the Prime Minister will be auctioned online from Wednesday.

As in previous years, all proceeds from the e-auction will go to the ‘Namami Gange’ Project, the Government of India’s flagship initiative for the rejuvenation, conservation, and protection of the Ganga and its ecosystem.

The first auction of Prime Minister’s gifts was held in January 2019. Since then, thousands of unique gifts presented to the PM have been auctioned, raising more than ₹50 crore.

The items would be available for bidding on the official portal www.pmmementos.gov.in.

The collection reflects the cultural diversity of India, ranging from traditional art, paintings, sculptures, handicrafts, and tribal artifacts, to ceremonial gifts of honour and respect. Some of the highlights include an intricately embroidered Pashmina shawl from Jammu and Kashmir, a Tanjore painting of Ram Durbar, a metallic statue of Nataraja, Rogan Art from Gujarat depicting the Tree of Life and a handwoven Naga shawl, an official statement from the Union Culture Ministry said.

Special highlight

A special highlight of this edition is the sports memorabilia gifted by India’s para-athletes who participated in the Paris Paralympics 2024. These tokens symbolize resilience, excellence, and the indomitable spirit of Indian sport, it said.

The items are currently on display at National Gallery of Modern Art, in the national capital, where visitors can view them before placing their bids online.