RAJESH MOHANTY,OP
Rourkela: A city-based chartered accountant has successfully won 11 gifts presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by various organisations over the past two years in an e-auction conducted by the Ministry of Culture, a report said. Manoj Thebriya, in his 50s, had been eagerly awaiting the auction for the past two years. “I was keen to purchase these items when they were first auctioned in Delhi at a gallery.
Later, I learned that future auctions would be held online, so I kept a close watch,” Manoj said. The e-auction began in September 2024, and Manoj registered himself for participation. “The auction lasted for a few days and concluded on Diwali in 2024,” he said.
Manoj expressed satisfaction with the items he won. “I purchased a statue of Maharana Pratap, Hanumanji, Ram Darbar, and Shiv Parivar, all made of metal. I also acquired a bamboo replica of the Ram Mandir and a statue of Goddess Durga carved from a single piece of wood. Additionally, I got four ‘angavastrams’ and a ‘potli’ (pouch) for storing money,” he explained. Manoj and his family are admirers of PM Modi. “I don’t know if I will ever get the chance to meet Modiji, but now I have gifts that he personally touched and kept with him,” he said. His family was thrilled when he won the items in the auction.
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The items were delivered at his doorstep January 16. “I was asked to deposit the payment within a week of the conclusion of the auction, and I promptly did so. The ministry delivered the item at my home,” he said. The delivery was part of a larger logistics operation involving two trucks carrying the auctioned goods to various winners across the country. “One truck came to my house, and all the items were carefully packed to prevent any damage,” he added. He was informed that the proceeds from the auction would go towards the Namami Gange project. When asked, about the cost of the items, Manoj, who has been in the profession for 30 years, declined to disclose the amount. “Please, I got the items, and I’m happy I did. Don’t ask me about the price—they are priceless,” he said.
