Art auction with proceeds to end Polio

The gavel went down on more than 90 paintings auctioned off for Rotary's challenge in New Delhi on 26 May. Featuring works by artists such as Jamini Roy, M.F. Husain, F.N. Souza, Krishen Khanna, Satish Gujral, Anjolie Ela Menon, and Laxman Pai, the auction raised US$40,000. District 3010 and India National PolioPlus Committee Chair Deepak Kapur organized the event in collaboration with the Swiss Embassy and Dhoomimal Gallery, one of the oldest art galleries in India."The woman and her son who run the art gallery are my neighbors and wanted to be involved with Rotary," Kapur says. "They decided to auction off the works of these prominent artists and have a percentage go to District 3010 fundraising."Kapur adds that the Swiss Embassy became involved through an embassy employee, who is a Rotarian. Through the employee, District 3010 Rotarians obtained the ambassador's support for the fundraiser. The auction drew diplomats, industrialists, local representatives of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and others, including Rotarians."It is a matter of honor for me and my country that we are associated with Rotary in this noble initiative of the eradication of polio," says Philippe Welti, the Swiss ambassador to India. "It is in fact our duty to honor such a noble cause."