Star-studded and auction-packed

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Anjali and Sachin Tendulkar with Ankush Dadha and Nonita Verma

The rich and the famous generously loosen their purse strings for a cause. At the first edition of the three-day Jodhpur One World Retreat, an initiative by Jodhpur’s Maharaja Gaj Singh II that aims to raise funds for the Indian Head Injury Foundation (IHIF), a number of royal artifacts (not from the Maharaja’s personal collection) were auctioned to garner support for the cause of alarming rise in head injuries in India.

The distinguished guests who were present at the Zenana Durbar of the Umaid Bhawan Palace to attend the auction included royals, business tycoons and sporting and film icons. Also present were British royals, the Duke and Duchess of York, Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, and Sheikha Hussah Sabah, who alongwith her husband owns the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah (museum) in Kuwait City. Multiple Grammy-winner Sting performed at the event’s grand finale on Sunday.
A guest who attended the soiree reveals that the extravaganza kicked off with a champagne welcome at the Mehrangarh Fort followed by a grand procession to the ramparts of the fort and then a special fashion show. The evening saw the One World India Bazaar, inaugurated by Singh’s wife, Hemlata Raje, which had on display some of India’s finest crafts.
Maher Dadha, MD and chairman of Bid & Hammer that organised the auction, tells us that the high-profile event was a grand success. “Personalities from across the globe on the auction floor, it was spectacular. We were able to raise `30 crores from the auction with 60 per cent of the lots selling. More sales are expected to be confirmed by later this week. The guests showed a lot of interest in antique jewels and miniature Basohli paintings. The buyers showed a lot of enthusiasm for heirloom jewellery, which included pearl necklaces, diamond rings and gold pieces. Decorative items like the sculpture depicting ‘The Lioness’ and wall art was also well received. For example, ‘Sabino Lights’, estimated at `6-8 lakhs, went for `12 lakhs; and a pair of twisted bangles estimated between `15-20 lakhs went for around `50 lakhs. Husain’s works also fetched a good amount,” he says.
Also present at the event were cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, power couple Mukesh and Nita Ambani, Hero Motocorp CEO Pawan Munjal and his wife and Punj Lloyd chairman Atul Punj and actress Dia Mirza,” he said.
The otherwise flamboyant Maharaja was known to have mellowed down after his son Shivraj’s accident and sources close to him say that his health too deteriorated after his son’s accident. But the accident also inspired him to set up the foundation.
“After setting up the Indian Head Injury Foundation five years ago, we now felt that we needed to take it to the next level by raising awareness and resources for the cause and the foundation. The retreat is an endeavour to bring likeminded people from across the world on a common platform to discuss future initiatives,” Gaj Singh has said about the initiative.