London:
Wing commander Karun Krishna 'Jumbo' Majumdar is one of India's biggest war heroes. He was one of the first to fly in the Indian Air Force (IAF) before India gained Independence and one of the first Indians to receive England's Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) not once but twice. But the medals - preserved for over 70 years, are being subjected to a much less distinguished treatment in the UK - an auction in the open market. Pegged at 20,000-30,000 pounds they remain unsold, almost indicating that this glorious pilot's chapter in the history of the Indian Air Force has indeed been forgotten for good.
Jumbo Majumdar's story is the stuff of legends - he took on the Japanese in Burma and then flew in Europe - earning him two DFCs. If he wouldn't have tragically died in a plane accident, people say he would have gone on to lead the IAF.
"Jumbo Majumdar had the most extraordinary exploits in Burma and used Lysanders for something that it was never intended for which is dropping bombs on enemy hangers," said James Morton, who conducted the auction.
The DFC citation reads, "Early this year this officer commanded the squadron during its activities in Burma. He led two unescorted attacks on enemy airfields in Thailand and attacks in support of the army in Tennasserim; he also completed valuable reconnaissances during the retirement from Rangoon to the Prome positions."
Jumbo's death came a few days after he was awarded the second DFC. In February 1945, he was flying a plane that stalled and crashed and with it - India lost one of its bravest soldiers. What he left behind was invaluable. No other pilot has achieved the heights he did and he has left behind a rich legacy.
But 70 years on, his son, Sailen 'Bambi' Majumdar - a retired accountant based near Birmingham - is looking to sell this legacy via an open auction.
Sailen Majumdar wants to auction these medals because he doesn't want his family to fight over them.
"I did not want to just donate it to someone, I wanted someone to pay some money so that it has some value. I've been told by an expert that the curators of these museums get DFCs and all sorts of medals donated and the public don't even come in to view them sometimes... a senior curator of a major museum, who will go unnamed, said they just gather dust and if that's the case, that's not what I want," he said.
The bid price was set at 20,000 pounds or roughly Rs 20 lakh, but no one bid for the medals at that price. The highest bid that came in was 15,500 pounds.
The medals remain unsold as of now, but not everyone in the Majumdar family is happy about the medals being auctioned in the first place.
Anjali Majumdar, his sister has told NDTV that the medals belong to India.
The auction house, London-based Morton and Eden, claims that the IAF did actually come and inspect the medals too.
"It's a pity perhaps that the Indian government or the IAF didn't decide to bid for them themselves but that of course is their choice," says James Morton, who conducted the auction.
Indian government sources in London have told NDTV that they don't usually bid for such items at open auctions. Also, from past instances, the government has a policy to not bid for expensive items abroad.
For now, the DFCs remain unsold and will remain with the auction house where they are insured until Sailen Majumdar decides what to do next.