On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday, September 17, an extensive collection of nearly 1,500 gifts he received throughout his travels will be put up for e-auction. This initiative, the eighth edition of the PM Mementos e-auction, aims to celebrate India's rich artistic and cultural heritage while channeling all proceeds towards the significant national cause of the Namami Gange Programme.
A National Cause: The PM Mementos E-Auction
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced the event at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi, stating the auction will run through October 31. A curated selection of the 1,498 items will also be available for public viewing at the NGMA, offering a unique glimpse into the diverse gifts presented to the Prime Minister.
Featured Items: Naval Models, Sacred Art & More
Among the standout pieces in this year's collection are detailed scale models of the Indian Navy's stealth frigate INS Nilgiri and the missile destroyer INS Surat. These impressive models were gifted by the Navy chief following their commissioning in Modi's presence on January 15 last year.
The ministry has highlighted 50 "hero objects" within the collection, led by a magnificent silver memento of Lord Ram from Karnataka, carrying a base price of ₹13.50 lakh. Other prized items include a silver replica of the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam, valued at ₹9 lakh; a framed Gond art painting depicting the Tree of Life, starting at ₹7.5 lakh; a Lord Jagannath Parivar on a chariot set, priced at ₹6 lakh; and a gold-plated framed Radha Krishna artwork with a base price of ₹5.40 lakh.
Beyond spiritual and military artifacts, the collection spans a wide array of sports memorabilia and traditional craftsmanship from various Indian states, including West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar, and Odisha, showcasing the nation's vibrant cultural diversity.
Impact and Previous Success
The PM Mementos e-auction serves a dual purpose: it celebrates India's heritage, art, craftsmanship, and cultural diversity, while also enabling public participation in contributing to a vital national cause through the Namami Gange Programme. This program is dedicated to the conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganges River.
Previous iterations of the auction have garnered substantial public interest, with over 7,400 items auctioned across the first seven editions, collectively raising ₹52 crore. In recent years, the government raised ₹1.89 crore from the 2025 auction and ₹2.24 crore from the 2024 edition, demonstrating the continued success and public appeal of this unique fundraising initiative.