Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Cadet Corps (NCC) alumni card, multiple models of the upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya, and a statue of the mascot of the recently-held Chess Olympiad in Chennai are among the most sought-after items at an online auction of mementos gifted to Modi that kicked off on the weekend.

Items finding demand from the online bidders also include a model statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Commonwealth Games sporting memorabilia.

The auction is being held on the website www.pmmementos.gov.in, which has one section that lists items under the heading “Most Participated Auction”. A memento given by the NCC in the form of an alumni card displaying Modi’s photograph, “Life Member”, the year 2021, and “Directorate: Guj, DD & DNH” is among these sought-after items.

Until about 8.30 P.M. on Sunday, the alumni card had received over 30 bids.

Other items in this category include the least expensive piece with the base price of `100. 

A  miniature image of Lord Ganesha standing beneath a gold-bedecked canopy while donning a ‘yajnopavita’ and wearing necklaces had received 33 bids by 8.30 PM on Sunday with a quote price of `6,200.

Yet another statue of Lord Ganesha had quote price of `7,200 against the base price of `1,100.

Then there is a metal ‘shankh’ (conch) which had 338 bidders with the last quoted price of `32,000 by 8.30 PM on Sunday. With a base price of `8,600, it is also most in demand in the auction list.

Other most participated items include a trident (trishul), statue of Tirupati Balaji Maharaj (sculpture) which has a base price of `21,600 but has already reached an auction price of `1,91,000. So far 31 bidders have shown interest in it.

Metallic swords and a metallic mace, a metallic ‘shankh’  a trident, and a replica of Tirupati Balaji Maharaj’s wooden idol, are also in the ‘Most Participated Auction’ category.