'Lagaan' bat fetches Rs 6 million in auction

The cricket bat used by Bollywood star Aamir Khan to hit a winning six in his Oscar-nominated movie 'Lagaan' has fetched Rs. six million at an auction held at Lahore to mobilize funds for former Pakistan cricketer Imran Khan's cancer hospital.

The bat brought by Aamir -- who is currently touring Pakistan to raise funds for Imran's hospital -- was auctioned at a fund raising dinner last night in the presence of the Indian actor.

Pakistan's residential complexes builder Ali Imran of Bahria Town bought the bat.

Aamir said he kept the bat as a souvenir in memory of his celebrated film but chose to bring it to auction in Pakistan to raise funds for Imran Khan's Cancer Hospital built in Lahore few years ago in memory of the former cricketer's mother, Shaukat Khanum. Imaran is planning to build another such hospital in Karachi.

Imran later announced that the money raised during the dinner would be spent to treat poor patients, local daily Dawn said in a report.

Aamir, who arrived in Lahore on Friday, said that his visit to Pakistan was a memorable one as he had been showered with great respect and love. He said that he was lucky that he had come to Pakistan to participate in a noble cause of helping the poor. Aamir also presented hospital plaques to major donors.

Imran said that the hospital had so far treated approximately 10,000 cancer patients. During the last one decade the hospital budget had soared from Rs 10 million to Rs 1 billion per annum.