Narendra Modi’s suit raises nearly $700,000 at auction

Diamond merchant Hitesh Patel, who like Modi is from Gujarat state, made the winning bid of 43 million rupees ($695,000) Friday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dark suit with its unique monogram pinstripes has been auctioned for a whopping sum of nearly $700,000.

In this Jan.25, 2015 photo, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wears a dark pinstriped suit with his name monogrammed in dull gold stripes during a reception to U.S. President Barack Obama in New Delhi, India.  -  AP

Indian people and businessmen view Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'name-striped' bandhgala suit which he wore during the visit of US President Barack Obama, in Surat, some 265 kms from Ahmedabad on February 18, 2015.  -  AFP

Diamond merchant Hitesh Patel, who like Modi is from Gujarat state, made the winning bid of 43 million rupees ($695,000) Friday.

Modi wore the suit at a meeting with US President Barack Obama in India last month. Photographs of the suit showing Modi’s name monogrammed in dull gold stripes went viral on social media.

The money raised in the auction of the suit and hundreds of other gifts received by Modi will be used to clean up the heavily polluted Ganges River.

Gujarat official Milind Toravane said the suit and other items were gifts received by Modi after he became prime minister in May.