<p class="title">The exhibition-cum-e-auctioning of mementos received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew to a close on Friday, with the highest bid of Rs 25 lakh for a painting of the PM and Mahatma Gandhi, a statement from the government said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The proceeds from the e-auction will be donated towards funding the Namami Gange Mission.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Union culture ministry organised the e-auction from September 14 to sell 2,772 mementos gifted to the prime minister.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The items were kept on display at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) here and included memorabilia, paintings, sculptures, shawls, jackets and traditional musical instruments.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The e-auction was supposed to be held till October 3. However, a decision was taken to extend the process for another three weeks. As of today, all items on auction stand sold-out.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Celebrities, politicians and activists have shown interest in the auction, with Bollywood stars, including actors Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor, and singer Kailash Kher, endorsing it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The lowest base price was kept at Rs 500 for items like a small statue of Lord Ganesha and decorative wooden box in lotus shape.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The highest base price of Rs 2.5 lakh was reserved for an acrylic painting with a tri-colour background of the prime minister and Mahatma Gandhi, which has received a final bid of Rs 25 lakh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A framed photograph of the prime minister receiving blessings from his mother, with a base price of Rs 1,000, has received a bid of Rs 20 lakh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Other popular auctioned items include an exhibit of Manipuri Folk Arts, which had an original base price of Rs 50,000, but sold for a bid of Rs 10 lakh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A metallic sculpture of a cow feeding a calf, with a base price of Rs 4,000, sold for a bid of Rs 10 lakh and a metallic 14-cm statue of Swami Vivekanand, with a base price of Rs 4,000, received a final price of Rs 6 lakh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Neither the Culture Ministry nor the NGMA could provide details about the painting or about who gifted it to the prime minister.</p>
<p class="title">The exhibition-cum-e-auctioning of mementos received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew to a close on Friday, with the highest bid of Rs 25 lakh for a painting of the PM and Mahatma Gandhi, a statement from the government said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The proceeds from the e-auction will be donated towards funding the Namami Gange Mission.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Union culture ministry organised the e-auction from September 14 to sell 2,772 mementos gifted to the prime minister.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The items were kept on display at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) here and included memorabilia, paintings, sculptures, shawls, jackets and traditional musical instruments.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The e-auction was supposed to be held till October 3. However, a decision was taken to extend the process for another three weeks. As of today, all items on auction stand sold-out.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Celebrities, politicians and activists have shown interest in the auction, with Bollywood stars, including actors Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor, and singer Kailash Kher, endorsing it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The lowest base price was kept at Rs 500 for items like a small statue of Lord Ganesha and decorative wooden box in lotus shape.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The highest base price of Rs 2.5 lakh was reserved for an acrylic painting with a tri-colour background of the prime minister and Mahatma Gandhi, which has received a final bid of Rs 25 lakh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A framed photograph of the prime minister receiving blessings from his mother, with a base price of Rs 1,000, has received a bid of Rs 20 lakh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Other popular auctioned items include an exhibit of Manipuri Folk Arts, which had an original base price of Rs 50,000, but sold for a bid of Rs 10 lakh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A metallic sculpture of a cow feeding a calf, with a base price of Rs 4,000, sold for a bid of Rs 10 lakh and a metallic 14-cm statue of Swami Vivekanand, with a base price of Rs 4,000, received a final price of Rs 6 lakh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Neither the Culture Ministry nor the NGMA could provide details about the painting or about who gifted it to the prime minister.</p>