Tanjore painting, Nataraja statue among 1,300 items gifted to PM Modi to be part of e-auction

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) More than 1,300 items, including a Tanjore painting of Ram Durbar, a metallic Nataraja statue, a handwoven Naga shawl and a set of sporting memorabilia from the Paralympic Games 2024, gifted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi are part of an e-auction that begins here on September 17, officials said on Tuesday.

The start of the seventh edition of the online auction will coincide with the birthday of Modi, who turns 75 on Wednesday. It will be held till October 2.

Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced the launch of the latest edition of the Prime Minister's Mementoes e-auction at a press interaction hosted at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) here.

The first edition of the e-auctions was held in January 2019.

"Since then, thousands of unique gifts presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been auctioned, raising more than Rs 50 crore in support of the Namami Gange project," the culture ministry said in a statement.

Shekhawat said more than 1,300 gifts received by the prime minister will be auctioned online.

These items include paintings, artefacts, sculptures, idols of gods and goddesses and some sports items.

Modi is the first Indian prime minister to dedicate all mementos he receives towards this noble cause, the statement said.

The items that will be part of the e-auction also include an intricately-embroidered Pashmina shawl from Jammu and Kashmir, a Tanjore painting of Ram Durbar, a metallic Nataraja statue, a Rogan Art from Gujarat depicting the Tree of Life and a handwoven Naga shawl.

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 symbolise the para-athletes' resilience, excellence and indomitable spirit, the statement said.

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, the ministry said.

These items are currently on display at the NGMA, where visitors can view those before placing their bids online.

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 river and its ecosystem.

"The e-auction is not just an opportunity for citizens to own a piece of history, but also to participate in a noble mission -- the preservation of our holy river, the Ganga," it said. PTI KND RC