James Otis apologises, says auction of Gandhi’s belongings was not meant for profits

March 29th, 2009 DHARAMSALA - James Otis, the US based collector and auctioneer of Mahatma Gandhi's personal belongings, has claimed that he had more items of the father of the nation including his blood sample, which he was ready to negotiate with the Indian Government. "I have other personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi like the original of the 'Harijan' journal, cotton clothes spun by him and his blood samples.

March 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - US collector James Otis, who sparked a row by putting up for auction Mahatma Gandhi's belongings earlier this month, Friday apologised here for unintentionally hurting Indian sentiments. He said the money generated from the auction would go to organisations promoting Gandhian values.

March 22nd, 2009 BANGALORE - Industrialist Vijay Mallya, who bought the belongings of Mahatma Gandhi for 1.8 million dollar at an auction in New York, has sought government's approval for waiver of import duty on the memorabilia of historical value and national sentiments. Taking to mediapersons here on Saturday, Mallya said that he is waiting for necessary permissions from the government to bring the memorabilia back on the Indian soil.

March 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The five personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi that were auctioned off in New York on February 5, is likely to take some more time to reach India as the government is yet to solve the legalities involved with the US Justice Department. "Government is still pursuing with its earlier stand that the auction is illegal as per the will of Gandhi and the injunction of Delhi High Court with US Justice Department," a senior official in the Culture Ministry said.

March 7th, 2009 NEW YORK/NEW DELHI - Days of high drama over the auction of Gandhi's memorabilia in New York ended on a triumphant note for India as business tycoon Vijay Mallya put in a bid of $1.8 million, winning not only the five heritage items but also gushing praise from Indians young and old. Gandhi's steel-rimmed spectacles, a pair of sandals, a Zenith pocket watch, an eating bowl and a plate were put under the hammer, as scheduled, by Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York Thursday despite an outcry by Indians, mounting Indian government pressure and even a reported change of heart on the part of the US collector to auction the items.

March 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Although disappointed that the auction of Gandhi's memorabilia went through as scheduled in New York, Indians, young and old, were elated that the Mahatma's personal belongings will finally find their way back home. 'We tried our best.

March 6th, 2009 NEW YORK/NEW DELHI - With the clock ticking away ahead of an auction in New York of several items used by Mahatma Gandhi, Indian officials held talks with the seller while the government said it will 'make all efforts possible' to acquire these memorabilia. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday asked the embassy in the US and officials in India to do everything needed to get back the articles - a Zenith pocket watch, steel-rimmed spectacles, a pair of sandals and an eating bowl and plate used by Mahatma Gandhi.

March 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON - With just a few hours left before some of Mahatma Gandhi's memorablia go under the hammer in New York, India Thursday said it would do everything - even make a bid at auction - to get these back. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked the embassy in the US and officials in India to do everything needed to get back the articles - a Zenith pocket watch, steel-rimmed spectacles, a pair of sandals and an eating bowl and plate used by Mahatma Gandhi.

March 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With a few hours left before some of Mahatma Gandhi's personal belongings go under the hammer at a New York auction, India said Thursday it could bid for the articles and is trying to get them back home. Culture Minister Ambika Soni said Thursday: 'We have to get Mahatma Gandhi's belongings back and are looking at all options.

March 6th, 2009 AHMEDABAD - The successful bid for Mahatma Gandhi's belongings by tycoon Vijay Mallya and the return of the relics to India is 'a great moment of pride for every Indian', the Sabarmati Ashram's director Amrutbhai Modi said here Friday. 'It is a great moment of pride for every Indian that finally the personal belongings of Gandhiji have been won in an auction by Vijay Mallya and the same are being brought to India,' Modi told IANS.

March 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India will not enter into agreements and accept conditions on the possessions of Mahatma Gandhi, minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma said here Thursday, while appealing to US collector James Otis to withdraw from sale the Gandhi relics that are scheduled to be auctioned in a few hours. 'We appeal to the good sense of James Otis to withdraw these items from the auction,' Sharma told a television channel just about 12 hours before the auction.

March 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Indian government Wednesday said it was doing everything possible to acquire the personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi from a US-based collector and has even sought the State Department's help to stop the auction of these items in New York. 'We have asked our embassy in Washington and Consulate General of India in New York to do everything that is required through the bidding process or otherwise to acquire the personal assets of the Father of the Nation for the country,' Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said here.

March 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Mahatma Gandhi's granddaughter Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee Wednesday urged the auctioneers of his personal belongings to withdraw the process and hand them over to India, respecting the sentiments of hundreds of millions of its people. 'In this particular case, going by the sentiments of the people of India, the stake-holders in New York should give these objects back to India, without resorting to any sale,' said Bhattacharjee, vice chairperson of the Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti.

March 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - In an effort to stop Mahatma Gandhi's personal belongings from going under the hammer at a New York auction, the Delhi High Court put an interim stay on it Tuesday. The order came after Ahmedabad-based Navjivan Trust approached the high court seeking a stay on the auction of five prized articles of Gandhi, including his iconic round glasses and sandals, by the US-based Antiquorum Auctioneers Thursday.

March 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON - In what could stop Mahatma Gandhi's personal belongings from going under the hammer at a New York auction, the Delhi High Court put an interim stay on it Tuesday even as the Indian government said it was 'doing whatever' it could. The high court order came after Ahmedabad-based Navjivan Trust approached it seeking a stay on the auction of five of Gandhi's personal belongings, including his iconic round glasses and sandals, by the US-based Antiquorum Auctioneers Thursday.