Mahatma Gandhi's handwritten notes sell for record $1.7 million

A collection of 688 handwritten notes by Mahatma Gandhi has sold for approximately $1.7 million (₹16.2 crore) at an auction in Mumbai, setting a record for an Indian historical document. The auction, conducted by Saffronart, was titled ‘Gandhi: From the Collection of Anand T. Hingorani’.

The manuscripts consist of daily reflections written by Gandhi between November 1944 and October 1946 to provide spiritual guidance and consolation to his close associate and freedom fighter, Anand T. Hingorani, following the death of Hingorani’s wife, Vidya. These writings, which address themes such as truth, non-violence, God, and self-restraint, were later compiled into the book ‘A Thought for the Day’.

In addition to the notes, the auction included other personal items such as Gandhi’s portable spinning wheel (peti charkha), letters, photographs, and other documents related to the Indian independence movement. The collection was preserved by the Hingorani family and offers a rare personal insight into Gandhi’s philosophy and his private correspondence during the final years of British rule in India.