City bids for Japan, collects Rs 10 lakh for tsunami victims

In a set-up that looked straight out of a Japanese play, Gurgaon united, auctioned and collected over Rs 10 lakh for the Tsunami victims of Japan.
The event, called India for Japan, was organized jointly by the Gurgaon Connection and Kingdom of Dreams on Monday evening.
Attended by the deputy Ambassador of Japan in India, actor Arjun Rampal, cricketer Kapil Dev and industrialist Nikhil Nanda, the event also brought together the expats and the Japanese who have been living and working in Gurgaon for the past several years.
Over 15 items were auctioned at the event. These included paintings by artists Anjanna Kuthiala and Naresh Kumar, sarees by fashion designer Satya Paul, international holidays, cellphones and sports gear by Kapil Dev, Virender Sehwag and Leander Paes.
The auction, which began after guests were given a feel of the Japanese culture by the hosts, found immediate buyers. While the highest auction price was Rs 1 lakh for a painting, holidays and unreleased Iphones, were auctioned off for Rs 75,000-90,000.
Arjun Rampal said, Any nation, which is reeling under a natural calamity, does not need money. All it needs is moral support. It is heartening to see so many people come together for this cause.
Kapil Dev said, This could happen to anybody. A good human being is one who respects others. I am happy we are doing this.
TJ Singla of Gurgaon Connection said: The response has been overwhelming. We are thankful to everyone who has made this event a success. The proceeds would soon be transferred via the Red Cross to Japan.
The evening, which was marked by a jazz performance by Sonam Kalra and traditional Japanese drum beats, concluded with a Japanese dinner prepared by the chefs of The Metropolitan hotel.
Earlier, the city residents had done their bit for the victims of the floods that ravaged Leh last year.