The ministry of culture will launch the eighth edition of the PM Mementos e-auction on September 17, putting up 1,498 gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for public bidding.
“The Prime Minister has never worked in self interest. The items have been sourced from across the country.
He truly believes in and embodies the fact that what the country has given him is not his to keep but has to be returned to people,” Shekhawat said. States such as West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar and Odisha account for the larger share of the collection, the ministry said. It added that the mementos represent India’s “artistic traditions, traditional craftsmanship, cultural practices, spiritual traditions and sporting achievements.”
Union culture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday said the initiative reflected the Prime Minister’s personal approach to public service.
As with previous editions, proceeds from the sale will go to the Namami Gange Programme, the Centre’s flagship initiative for the rejuvenation and conservation of the Ganga. The auction, first held in January 2019, has since raised more than ₹ 52 crore, according to figures shared by the ministry in Parliament. The single largest sale remains Neeraj Chopra’s Tokyo Olympics javelin, which fetched ₹ 1.5 crore in 2021.
