PM Modi's gifts' E-auction: Neeraj Chopra's Javelin, Sardar Patel sculpture get top bids

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mementos’ e-auction concluded on Thursday, Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra's javelin used at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games received the highest bid value at Rs 1.5 crore. Chopra gifted his javelin to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the felicitation ceremony of the Indian Olympics Contingent held on August 16, following which, the javelin along with the other Olympics equipment used by the Indian athletes were put up for e-auction. The historic Javelin has been autographed by Neeraj Chopra; Javelin Gold Medallist, Tokyo 2020 Olympic games. In the finals, the Indian gold medallist tossed his best 87.58m (in the second of six attempts). Additionally, a sculpture of Sardar Patel garnered the maximum bids, more than 140, the Government of India’s ministry of cultural affairs informed in a release on October 6, as per PTI.

Auction proceeds to be donated to Namami Gange Mission

Apart from Chopra’s autographed javelin, from among 1,330 mementos that were e-auctioned, the most popular items that received the highest bid in terms of its value were— autographed fence of Bhavani Devi (Rs 1.25 Cr), which closely matched in worth with Chopra’s javelin at Rs 1.25 Cr, Sumit Antil's javelin (Rs 1.002 Cr), Angavastra autographed by the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic contingent (Rs 1 Cr) and Lovlina Borgohain's boxing gloves (Rs 91 lakh).

Other than that, a wooden Ganesha received a whopping 117 bids, a memento of the Pune metro line which got 104 bids, and a memento of Victory flame which received 98 bids, as listed on the PM Mementos website and cited by PTI. PM Modi received 15 items used by the sportspersons who participated in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and Tokyo Paralympics 2020. The e-auction has over 1,348 mementos received by PM Modi, however, the most coveted ones are the 15 items gifted by the Olympians and Paralympians. 

A total of 8,600 bids were received during the auction. The third round of auctions online was held from September 17 to October 7. The proceeds will be donated to the Namami Gange Mission. 

Image: Twitter/@MinOfCultureGoI/@NMnewdelhi