Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Expensive ‘tribute’ to a simple man

Montblanc has launched a gold, rhodium-plated nib pen costing (hold your breath) Rs 11 lakh in memory of – of all persons – Mahatma Gandhi!

A company report says the series was being produced as a tribute to the many people who had followed the Mahatma.

I remember reading Gandhiji once searched desperately for a small pencil stub. He did not want to even waste a small stub.

What sort of tribute is this? Montblanc is using the Mahatma to sell its products – that too such a stinkingly-expensive pen.

And guess who launched the luxury pen? It’s Tushar Gandhi, the Mahatma’s great grandson! It is not enough if you have the Mahatma’s name, and you are also his great grandson.

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Mr Tushar Gandhi, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, displays the Mahatma Gandhi Limited Edition Montblanc pen in Mumbai on Tuesday. The 18K gold, rhodium-plated nib pen priced at Rs 11 lakh displays an intricate, hand engraved depiction of Gandhi, at 60, setting off, with bamboo staff in hand, on his famous salt march. A company report says that the MGLE-3000 series was being produced as a tribute to the many people who had followed the Mahatma. – Paul Noronha, The Hindu Business Line, dt. Wednesday, September 30, 2009.