The eighth edition of the PM Mementos e-Auction is open online only until October 2, 2026. Tamil Nadu is represented by 31 items, the Ministry of Culture said in a release on September 28, 2026. They range from temple art and handloom to sports gear linked to the state's Paralympic medallists.
The auction is held on the official website, pmmementos.gov.in, where the items can be viewed and bids placed. The mementos are gifts presented to the Prime Minister at events across the country.
Key points
- Last date: October 2, 2026 (the auction is live till then, as stated by the ministry).
- Where: pmmementos.gov.in. There is no offline bidding mentioned in the release.
- Tamil Nadu items: 31, out of a collection drawn from many states.
Sports memorabilia from Tamil Nadu
Three items are linked to Tamil Nadu athletes who won medals at the Paralympics:
| Item | Linked to | Achievement (as described by the ministry) |
|---|---|---|
| Badminton racket | Nithya Sre Sivan | Medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics |
| Signed badminton racket | Thulasimathi Murugesan | Silver in badminton singles at the Paralympics |
| Shoes | Mariyappan Thangavelu | Three-time Paralympic medallist in high jump |
India's athletes have been in the news again this week. Read about the women's 4x400m relay gold at the Asian Games 2026.
Religious and cultural pieces
Most of the Tamil Nadu list is devotional or traditional art:
- An Auspicious Framed Footprint from Kanyakumari, presented by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. It is linked to Sri Padhaparai, the rock traditionally believed to carry the footprints of Goddess Kumari.
- A Thiruvalluvar Chariot, a handmade model in the style of Tamil Nadu's temple chariots.
- A memento of Sri Ramanujacharya shown in a teaching pose.
- A metallic Nataraja statue of Lord Shiva in his cosmic dance.
- A Tanjore-style Veena artwork decorated with gold foil and Kundan stones.
- A traditional Tanjore painting of Lord Murugan and a separate gold-foil depiction of Murugan.
- A framed devotional work of Sri Sowmya Narayana Perumal.
- A brass memento of the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple.
- South Indian angavastrams with zari and woven borders.
Other states in the auction
In September the ministry issued similar lists for other states, including Gujarat, Assam, Keralam, Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. All of them are part of the same online auction and close on the same date.
What it means for you
- If you want to bid on any item, do it on pmmementos.gov.in before the auction closes on October 2.
- Base prices, bidding steps and payment terms are given on the auction website for each item. Read them there before you bid. They are not listed in the ministry's release.
- Pictures and descriptions of all 31 Tamil Nadu items can be viewed on the same site.
