Indian beer magnate buys Gandhi's glasses

NEW YORK, March 5 (UPI) -- An Indian beer and airlines magnate placed the winning $1.8 million bid Thursday in New York for Mahatma Gandhi's spectacles and other personal items.

Tony Bedi, representing Vijay Mallya, who owns the company that makes Kingfisher Beer, did the bidding and said that the items will be returned to India for public display, The New York Times reported. He said that Mallya has not yet decided whether to give them to the government.

The Indian government tried to stop the auction at Antiquorum Gallery in New York. On Thursday, officials said that the government would not put in a bid but would ask Indian-Americans to secure the items.

James Otis, a California peace activist who had consigned the Gandhi belongings to Antiquorum, tried to stop the auction at the last minute. Antiquorum refused.

Shyan Gulati, who heads Infopeople Corporation, said that the crowd at the auction included many well-heeled leaders of New York's Indian community. About a dozen people joined the bidding in person in addition to others who had placed written bids or entered them by phone.

"Anything when it comes to Gandhi is emotional, sentimental and patriotic when it comes to Indians," Gulati said.

In addition to Gandhi's eyeglasses, the items on sale included a pocket watch, a pair of sandals and a plate and bowl.