E-auction for PM Modi mementoes closes, K Srikanth's badminton racquet gets highest bid at Rs 51 lakh

The online auction of the mementoes presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded on October 12.The e-auction of gifts and mementoes presented to PM Narendra Modi started on his birthday on September 17 and closed on October 12. The closing date of the auction was initially October 2 but was extended later. The proceeds from the e-auction will go to the Namami Gange Project. The initiative started in June 2014 aims to conserve and rejuvenate the river Ganga by controlling pollution and improving its fragile ecosystem. (Image: Reuters)

The badminton racquet autographed by 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist medallist Kidambi Srikanth received the highest bid this year at Rs 51 lakh, the PM Mementos website showed. The racquet’s starting bid was Rs 5 lakh. The black racquet with a white grip carried the message for PM Modi: “Thank you Sir for your support”. (Image: Reuters)

The second highest bid at this year’s annual e-auction came for a T-shirt autographed by Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games gold medalist Manish Narwal. This was the most expensive item to go under the hammer with a base price of Rs 10 lakh. The white and blue coloured shirt with the logo of the Paralympic Committee of India along with the Indian national flag received the maximum bid of Rs 50.25 lakh. At the Tokyo Games Narwal had clinched the gold in the mixed P4 – 50 m pistol SH1 event. (Image: Reuters)

Another T-shirt, that created buzz during the e-auction was the one that was presented to the PM by para-powerlifter Sudhir the gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games 2022. This shirt received the third highest bid at Rs 50,20,000. The T-shirt also carried autographs of para powerlifters Manpreet Kaur and Parmjeet Kumar. While  Manpreet won the bronze medal in the women's 41kg category at the Pyeongtaek 2022 Asia Oceania Open Championship, last year Parmjeet became the first Indian to win a medal at the World para powerlifting when he clinched bronze in the men's 49kg category. The opening bid for the T-shirt signed by the para powerlifters was Rs 5 lakh.  (Image: Reuters)

A pair of red boxing gloves autographed by World Champion and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Nikhat Zareen was also bough in the e-auction. The gloves had the base price of Rs 5 lakhs and eventually fetched Rs 50 lakh. These gloves also carried the autographs of boxers Manisha Moun and Parveen Hooda. Manisha is bonze medalist at the 2019 Asia Armature Boxing and Hooda has won a gold medal at the 2019 South Asian Games and bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships.  (Image: Reuters)

The model of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, which was given to the PM by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, was sold at Rs 50 lakh against its base price of Rs 16,200. The model of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, which was given to the PM by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, was sold at Rs 50 lakh against its base price of Rs 16,200.  (Image: Reuters)

The prototype of the Ram Mandir that is being built in Ayodhya received a bid of Rs 11,85,700 against a starting price of Rs 10,800. (Image: Reuters)