A signed vintage photo of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi walking together with Indian educationist Madan Mohan Malaviya was auctioned for USD 41,806 in the United States of America. As per the Boston-based RR Auction, “M K Gandhi” was signed in fountain pen and the erratic picture was taken after the second session of India’s Round Table Conference in London in September 1931. Gandhi attended the second session as a delegate at the British-organized round table conference which was a three-part conference series held in London from 1930 to 1932. According to a media release, he joined the table with the aim of discussing the then ongoing constitutional reforms in India.

Madan Mohan Malaviya, who had formerly been the president of Congress, played a substantial role in the Gandhi-led non-cooperation movement. He joined Gandhi at the conference as a representative advocating for a free India. According to the RR auction, the photograph dates to a period in which Mahatma Gandhi was suffering from a pain in his right thumb and hence chose to write with his left hand. They further said that this was a temporary discomfort that lasted from August 8 to December 19, 1931. Bobby Livingston, executive Vice President (VP) at RR Auction was quoted saying, “The autographed photo of Gandhi presents him as he is doing his life’s work. We are not surprised that this giant of the 20th century still resonates today.”

RR Auction is a globally recognized and trusted auction house specializing in historical autographs and artifacts. This year the auction began on February 17 and continued till March 7. The auction hosted many autographs signed by popular historians which includes—a letter written by Karl Marx requesting copies of his ‘Revelations’,  Leo Tolstoy letter written in 1903 offering editorial advice and Claude Monet too describing the intensity of his artistic process that fetched USD 21,128.

While such a memorable piece was honoured in the United States, back in India a series of vandalism attacks have disgraced the pride of the country. Nationalist and communist figures have been destructed by few aggressors. A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was damaged in Kerala on March 8. The incident took place in Taliparamba area of Kannur. The attack came after the statues of Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov were vandalised in Tripura's Belonia town on March 6.

 

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 09, 2018 01:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).