Gandhi's great-grandson is appealing to Indians for money to buy some of the leader's personal belongings in a New York auction and keep them in a museum. Tushar Gandhi says his great-grandfather's trademark wire-rimmed glasses, a pair of sandals, a pocket watch, a bowl and a plate that are up for sale are part of Indian heritage that could not be allowed to be sold to wealthy collectors. “These objects are very close identities of someone we call the ‘Father of the Nation',” said Tushar Gandhi. “We have to bring them back.” The auction, the largest collection of Gandhi's possessions on sale at a time, is to be held next week and is expected to fetch some $300,000. Gandhi admirers want the items kept in a museum. Tushar Gandhi said the Zenith pocket watch was gifted to Mahatma Gandhi by Indira Gandhi, who is not related to him and who went on to become India's prime minister. Mahatma Gandhi used the plate and bowl for his last meal. Gandhi has launched a “people's initiative” to raise funds to buy the items. But he is disappointed with the response from the government and the corporate sector. “The government can easily do it but if we were to do this through a people's initiative it would be a much more Gandhian thing to do,” he said. Gandhi has so far raised just $3,010. “But I'm an incurable optimist. Miracles happen,” he said.
