Gandhi grandson raises auction fund

Mumbai: Even as auctioneers prepare to place Mahatma Gandhi's iconic spectacles and other belongings under the hammer next month in New York, his grandson is undertaking initiatives to raise funds to buy the articles.

"I strongly feel that Mahatma's spectacles and other personal belongings which are on auction should be in their rightful place [India]," Tushar Gandhi said.

"I have opened a bank account to buy back his personal belongings at the auction by the Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York which will stage the sale on March 4-5," he said.

"We have hardly 10 days left [before] the auction but I would like to bring back Mahatma's belongings to India with the help of Indians and keep them forever either in Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat or at National Gandhi Museum in Delhi," he said.

"I have opened an account - Tushar Gandhi A/C Mahatma Gandhi Auction Fund A/C No 04200100021002 in Bank of Baroda at suburban Vile Parle (w) three days back," Gandhi said.

Indian politicians have called on the government to bring back Gandhi's personal possessions.

Gandhi's distinctive wire-frame eyeglasses, which he famously said gave him the vision to free India from British rule, are among rare personal items going on the auction block.

Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York have put an estimate of $30,000 (Dh110,100) for the items, which will be sold as a single lot on March 5. Tushar said the auctioneers told him that they expect at least ten times the estimated amount.

The auctioneers say there has been worldwide interest in the sale, particularly as Gandhi's ascetic philosophy meant he had very few personal possessions.

The items have been consigned by a private American collector who obtained them from the descendants of the Gandhi family.

The auction house said Gandhi gave the eyeglasses and its leather case to an army colonel who had asked him for inspiration, telling him they were the "eyes" that had given him the vision to free India.