Pratibha Patil returns all official gifts to Rashtrapati Bhavan

Former President Pratibha Patil has returned all the gifts received by her in official capacity after they were displayed at a school owned by her family in Amravati in Maharashtra.

"One hundred and fifty five gifts received by the former President, Pratibha Devisingh Patil in her official capacity were loaned to Vidya Bharati Shaikshanik Mandai, Amravati for display on a purely temporary basis," Rashtrapati Bhavan has said in a Right To Information reply.

In response to activist Subhash Agrawal, it said all the gift items which include candle set received from Unitec Kingdom Prime Minister, a gold medallion and a silver medallion of Nelson Mandela, a gift box from China among others have been returned to Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 22.

"These were received back by the deputy director (art),

Rashtrapati Bhavan," it said, adding that no information on cost incurred on transportation is available on record.

It said the gifts were loaned to Vidya Bharati Shaikshanik Mandai, Amravati according to an MoU signed between Rashtrapati Bhavan and the institute.

The reply also said 36 artefacts were handed over to the Defence Research and Development Organisation during the presidency of A P J Abdul Kalam for being displayed in the Brahmos Centre in New Delhi.

"All 36 items have been received back at Rashtrapati Bhavan on October 3, 2012," it said.