Tokyo Olympics gold medallist and India's star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra's was sold for a whopping Rs 1.5 crore by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) when India's Prime Mininster Narendra Modi's collection of momentos was e-auctioned in 2021.
Right after clinching gold in the Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj had given the javelin to Indian PM Narendra Modi’s memento collections which were later e-auctioned, the proceeds of which went to 'Namami Gange Programme'. 'Namami Gange Programme', launched in 2014, integrates the efforts to clean and protect the Ganga river.
The javelin was part of many items that were presented during the e-auction, the proceeds of which went to ‘The Namami Gange Program. ‘Namami Gange Program, launched in 2014, integrates the efforts to clean and protect the Ganga river. The auction was held between September and October 2021.
It was BCCI, which had made a winning bid of Rs 1.5 crore for Olympic champion Neeraj's javelin.
"BCCI had made the winning bid for Neeraj's javelin. But we also bid for a couple of other collectibles. It (Namami Gange) is a noble cause and the office bearers in BCCI felt that as one of the premier sporting bodies in the country, we had a duty towards the nation," a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"As an organisation we are proud that we have a sporting good of one of India's greatest athletes," the official said.
The BCCI had also contributed Rs 51 crore to PM Cares fund during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
Apart from Chopra's javelin, BCCI also bought an angavastra, autographed by the Indian Paralympic contingent for Rs 1 crore.
While Chopra's javelin that was bought by BCCI fetched the highest bid value, fencer Bhavani Devi's sword fetched Rs 1.25 crore while Paralympic champion javelin thrower Sumit Antil's javelin was bought for Rs 1.002 crore by other bidders.
Lovlina Borgohain's boxing gloves were bought for Rs 91 lakh.
During the auction last year, 1348 mementos including sports collectibles were put in for the e-auction and a total of 8600 bids were received.
Recently, Chopra had donated the javelin he used to win the Olympic gold in Tokyo, to the Lausanne based Olympic museum. It was confirmed by the official twitter handle for the Games.
Meanwhile, Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj on August 27 had scripted yet another historic feat as he became the first Indian to clinch a Diamond League Meet title by winning the Lausanne leg.
The 24-year-old Chopra, who had pulled out of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games due to a "minor" groin injury he had suffered while winning a silver during the World Championships last month, hurled the spear to 89.04m in his first attempt to seal the win in style.
