Overview
- The online auction opens Thursday, September 17 and runs through October 31, listing roughly 1,498 items from gifts presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Organisers have identified 50 'Hero Objects' and published base prices for top lots, including a silver Lord Ram (₹13.5 lakh), a silver Kakatiya Kala Thoranam (₹9 lakh) and a Gond 'Tree of Life' painting (₹7.5 lakh).
- The Ministry of Culture says the National Informatics Centre will run the auction portal, State Bank of India will handle payments, India Post and a fine‑art handler will pack and deliver, and customs officers, valuers and NGMA staff will manage evaluation.
- An exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi displays the items before bidding, and the collection reflects pan‑Indian provenance with large shares from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar and Odisha.
- Launched in 2019, the annual programme has auctioned 7,741 objects over seven editions and raised about ₹52 crore to date, and organisers point to strong public and collector participation and past high‑value sales as evidence of its fundraising impact.