Started on October 2, the e-auction of souvenirs and gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be concluded on October 31. Although this auction is being held through digital medium, but an exhibition of some gifts has also been organized in the National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi, where people are also visiting. This time, 912 items have been kept for e-auction.
The general public can participate in the e-auction process by just logging on to this link — https://pmmementos.gov.in/#/
Both cheap and expensive gifts have been included in the e-auction. The cheapest gift is of Rs 100 which is a digital print of the sanctum sanctorum of Kalighat Temple in West Bengal. Whereas the most expensive gift is the painting of Banaras Ghat, the base price of which has been kept at Rs 64 lakh 80 thousand.
Other gifts include Statue of Lord Laxmi Narayan Vitthal and goddess Rukmini (23A0384), the Kamdhenu with calf memento (23A0776), the Souvenir of Jerusalem (23A0580), the Aranmula Kannadi (23A0039), the Brass statue of Lord Rama, Sita, Laxman, and Lord Hanuman (23A0012), the Statue of Ram Darbar (23A0623), and the Model of Golden Temple Amritsar (23A0404).
This is the fifth time that e-auction of PM’s gifts is being held. The auction is being conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The money earned by auctioning all the gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be invested in the Namami Gange project. Namami Gange project was started in June 2014. Its purpose is to improve the condition of Ganga.
“I’m truly elated by the overwhelming response to the auction of the mementoes I’ve received over the years. As you’re aware, the proceeds are dedicated to Namami Gange. I kindly encourage everyone to join in and place their bids for some of the very special mementos I have received. https://pmmementos.gov.in/#/,” said PM Modi in a social media post on X (previously Twitter).
I'm truly elated by the overwhelming response to the auction of the mementoes I've received over the years. As you're aware, the proceeds are dedicated to Namami Gange. I kindly encourage everyone to join in and place their bids for some of the very mementos I have received.… https://t.co/INugTcW7x2
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 27, 2023
On October 23, Union Minister of State for Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi, addressed the media about the same where she spotlighted indigenous art forms of high artistic value that are suitable for display in museums or the homes of art enthusiasts. “These art pieces deserve respect and care,” said the Minister.
