Page 41 - NIS English 2021 November 1-15

GIFTS RECEIVED FROM PLAYERS OF PARALYMPIC AND

OLYMPIC GAMES REMAINED MOST POPULAR

The highest bid in this e-auction was for Neeraj ornamental elephant, which was priced at Rs
Chopra's spear which was sold at Rs 1.5 crore 200. The racket of Pramod Bhagat of Hajipur,
which he had given as a gift to PM Modi. Neeraj who won the gold medal in Tokyo Paralympics
Chopra created history in the Olympics and won 2020, was also put up for auction with a base
the gold medal in the javelin throw. Similarly, price of Rs 80 lakh, which he presented to
Bhavani Devi's self-signed sword (Rs 1.25 crore), Prime Minister Narendra Modi after winning
Sumit Antil's spear (Rs 1.002 the competition. The maximum
crore), self-signed angavastra number of bids were received for
(Rs 1 crore) of Indian contingent the sculpture of Sardar Patel (140)
at Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, at the auction. Sumit Antil's javelin,
and boxing gloves of Lovleen Paralympic players' autographed
Borgohain (Rs 91 lakh) were angavastra, Paralympic player
under the hammer. The spears Krishna Nagar's badminton and
used by Paralympic Games gold medalist Sumit racket, and kit bag given by PV Sindhu to PM
Antil and Neeraj Chopra at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Modi also topped the bid. The enthusiasm of
Games were the highest base price items. The the public towards this e-auction can be gauged
base price of each of these items was kept at Rs from the fact that more than 8600 bids were
1 crore while the lowest-priced item was a small received for these items.

SERVING MOTHER GANGA LIKE
A SON OVER 8600 BIDS FOR 1348 MOMENTOS
Today, all-around efforts are being made to save
it from the brutal ravages of time and ensure n On October 1, bids have been received for 1081
its uninterrupted flow for which Prime Minister items and the mementos were displayed at the
National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.
Narendra Modi has laid a strong foundation.
At the government level, he is ensuring that n The highlights of the auction were sports gear
the projects related to Ganga cleanliness get a and equipment gifted to the Prime Minister by
boost. Even at the personal level, he is serving the winners of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic and
mother Ganga like a son. Because of this Olympic Games.
reason he e-auctioned 1348 gifts received by n Souvenirs related to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic
him so as to donate its proceeds for the noble and Olympic Games, Ayodhya Ram Temple,
cause of conservation of river Ganga which models of Varanasi Rudraksha Auditorium, and
is considered as the lifeline of the country. other valuables and interesting items were the
Actually, Ganga is not an ordinary river. It center of attraction in this round of e-auction.
is such a mighty river that from its origin at n The ornamental mace, a replica of the Statue of
Gaumukh in Uttarakhand till it joins the sea Unity, spinning wheel, and gong got the highest
in West Bengal; It enriches the lives of half bids compared to their base price.
the population of the country. The third round n Maximum of 140 bids were received for the
of e-auction was held from September 17 to statue of Sardar Patel.
October 7, 2021, and items worth crores were
under the hammer. The Ministry of Culture, n Bids were placed on the wooden Ganpati (117
Government of India conducted an e-auction bids), Pune Metro Line's memorial (104 bids),
of gifts and mementos received by Prime and Vijay Jyoti's memorial (98 bids).
Minister Narendra Modi on the web portal n The small elephant costing Rs 200 was well
www.pmmementos.gov.in. received by the bidders as well.

New India Samachar November 1-15, 2021 39