06 March,2009 11:19 AM IST | | Vedika Tripathi
Amid high drama, auction takes place in New York; Vijayu00a0Mallya buys Mahatma Gandhi memorabilia saved India's pride, says Tushar Gandhi
Confusion prevailed for hours in the run up to the auction of the Gandhi memorabilia late last night, but Bapu's belongings, which included his iconic round-rimmed spectacles, were finally bought by liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya for Rs 9.3 crore ($1.8 million) in New York amid high drama.
Coming home: The memorabilia, including Gandhi's iconic spectacles, a 1910 silver Zenith pocket watch, sandals, a bowl and a thali, at the auction house. |
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Gandhi memorabilia 'automatically' come to Navjivan Trust |
It is through Gandhi's will prepared on February 20, 1940, that the Navjivan Trust can stake claim to his belongings. In his will, Gandhi said "anything which by social convention or in law is considered mine, anything movable or immovable, books, articles etc. I endow to the Navjivan Institution whom I hereby declare as my heirs." The Trust believes items like the ones auctioned, "formed part of Gandhiji's property and automatically fell in the Trust's ownership." |
Not the first for Mallya |
When the sword of Tipu Sultan went under the hammer at a London auction house four years ago, Mallya coughed up Rs 4 crore to bring it back to India |