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| Gandhiji 's gold framed eye-glasses, .telegraph.co.uk |
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| Eye glasses worn by Gandhiji. navjivan express.com |
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| dnasyndication.com |
Above image: This funny cartoon is about fraudster and former liquor baron Vijay Malaya who had procured the personal items of Gandhiji in 2009 at an auction in New York in 2009 when he was a successful brewer. Because of financial mismanagement, his company being in a shambles he was forced him to borrow money from the banks to jack up his sagging brewery business. Having failed to pay the loans and escape from possible arrest or possession of his companies by the creditors, Mallya fled to London in March 2016. Incidentally, England is a haven for foreigners who cheat the governments. He owed Rs. 9,000 crore to a consortium of 17 Indian banks and, it is said, when he left India his wealth was worth ₹270 crore only.............
The Visionary’s Lens: The Journey of Gandhi’s Spectacles
The round-rimmed, gold-plated spectacles of Mahatma Gandhi are more than a mere optical aid; they are a profound symbol of the "vision" that led India to independence. In 1930, Gandhi famously gifted a pair to an army officer, Colonel H.A. Shiri Diwan Nawab, remarking that they had given him the clarity to free a nation. Decades later, these spectacles—along with his Zenith pocket watch, sandals, and a plate and bowl—became the center of a high-stakes international drama that pitted national heritage against the power of private capital.
In March 2009, despite a flurry of protests in India and a stay order from the Delhi High Court, the auction house Antiquorum proceeded with the sale of Gandhi’s memorabilia in New York. The auction sparked an intense bidding war among twelve major contenders. Emerging as the successful bidder was the then-liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who purchased the set for $1.8 million. At the time, Mallya was hailed by some for "bringing the national heritage home," asserting that the items belonged to India.
Controversy and Irony
The acquisition eventually took on a layer of deep irony. Mallya, once the "King of Good Times," saw his empire collapse due to severe financial mismanagement. By March 2016, facing a staggering debt of approximately ₹9,000 crore owed to a consortium of 17 Indian banks, Mallya fled to London to avoid arrest and extradition.
This transition from a "national savior" of artifacts to a fugitive created a poignant cultural critique. Cartoonists and social commentators often depicted Gandhi as being distressed that his symbols of austerity and truth were in the possession of a man associated with the liquor industry and financial evasion. The juxtaposition of Gandhi’s philosophy of "Aparigraha" (non-possession) with Mallya’s former opulence highlights a significant cultural clash.
Present Status
While the 2009 set remains a centerpiece of historical discussion, other pairs of Gandhi's glasses have surfaced. In 2020, a pair found in a Bristol letterbox sold for £260,000. Currently, the items purchased by Mallya are technically under the custody of his estate, though their long-term preservation remains a subject of public interest as the Indian government continues legal efforts regarding Mallya's financial liabilities.
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| Eye glasses worn by Gandhiji. dtnext.in |
Present Status
While the 2009 set remains a centerpiece of historical discussion, other pairs of Gandhi's glasses have surfaced. In 2020, a pair found in a Bristol letterbox sold for £260,000. Currently, the items purchased by Mallya are technically under the custody of his estate, though their long-term preservation remains a subject of public interest as the Indian government continues legal efforts regarding Mallya's financial liabilities.
Antiquorum Auction Records, March 2009.
http://www.navrangindia.in/2019/07/controversial-gandhijis-image-on-beer.html
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