Vummidi Ethiraj, the jeweller linked to the crafting of the Sengol, dies at 99
21 October 2026
Vummidi Ethiraj, the Chennai-based jeweller remembered for his role in crafting the historic Sengol, died on October 21, 2026, aged 99.
He was the patriarch of the Vummidi family, which owns Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers.
The Sengol, a gold-plated silver sceptre, was presented to Jawaharlal Nehru on the night of August 14, 1947 by priests of the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam Mutt of Tamil Nadu.
On May 28, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi installed the Sengol in the new Parliament building.
The Prime Minister condoled his death and recalled meeting him in 2023.
Age:
99
Sengol presented to Nehru:
August 14, 1947
Installed in new Parliament:
May 28, 2023
Why it matters for exams: The Sengol links the 1947 transfer of power with the 2023 new Parliament building, a favourite history-and-polity question.
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