NRIs to bid for Gandhi items

Leading Indian American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal has said he, along with some of his friends of Indian-origin, will bid for the personal items of Mahatma Gandhi that will come under the hammer at the auction house Antiquorum Auctioneers here.

Chatwal said they were ready to cough up up to a quarter of million dollars to acquire the items and then transfer them back to India.

"I would like to go even to a quarter of a million dollars (Rs 1.3 crore). This is not big money, especially when you want to buy it with eight-10 friends and give it back to your country," he said.

"Any Indian should buy it and the purpose is to buy and send it home. The auction is online, on telephone and we will be physically present," he said.