Story perspectives

Volte Una sells Tyeb Mehta’s “Rickshaw Puller” for INR69.1 crore

By Drooid · Oct 13, 2026, 12:06 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Volte Una Sets Record

Volte Una auctioned Tyeb Mehta’s ‘Rickshaw Puller’ for INR69.1 crore, setting a world auction record for the artist.
The sale became the fourth-most expensive Indian artwork sold at auction in rupee terms.
It surpassed Mehta’s prior record of INR61.80 crore for ‘Trussed Bull’ sold in April 2025.
Founder Tushar Jiwarajka said Volte Una’s single-lot format lowers the traditional buyer’s premium.

Summary

Mehta Revisits Rickshaw

Tyeb Mehta painted the 2002 “Rickshaw Puller” in fast-drying acrylic, leaving oil.
The rickshaw first appeared in Mehta’s 1961 monochrome painting, symbolising labour, bondage and alienation.
Critic Uma Nair noted the 1961 work’s relevance after its 2004 Christie’s sale.
Poet Nissim Ezekiel called the rickshaw a sign of bondage at its 1970 exhibition.
He said it showed a naked man staring into meaningless space.

Summary

Jiwarajka Expands Auctions

Volte Una charges a 0 % seller’s premium and a flat 15 % buyer’s premium.
The painting’s provenance runs from Vadehra Art Gallery to Amrita Jhaveri’s collection (2002-2006).
It was shown at “Celebration of Colours” in Mumbai (2002) and “Concept and Form” in New Delhi (2004).
Jiwarajka will hold 10-12 auctions yearly, adding jewellery, sculpture, miniatures and vintage cars.
Bidding will be by telephone and online, with prices listed in US dollars.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, Sotheby's auctioned M.F. Husain’s “Mother India” for $2.5 million, then the highest price ever paid for an Indian artwork. The sale, brokered by dealer Kiran Nadar and recorded at roughly INR18 crore, signaled global collectors’ appetite for modern Indian masters. Today, Volte Una’s 2025 auction of Tyeb Mehta’s “Rickshaw Puller” at INR69.1 crore mirrors that breakthrough, with founder Tushar Jiwarajka employing a zero-seller-premium model. The parallel underscores how record-setting Indian sales have reshaped auction house strategies, prompting more single-lot formats and expanding markets for contemporary Indian art.

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Volte Una Sets Record

Volte Una auctioned Tyeb Mehta’s ‘Rickshaw Puller’ for INR69.1 crore, setting a world auction record for the artist.
The sale became the fourth-most expensive Indian artwork sold at auction in rupee terms.
It surpassed Mehta’s prior record of INR61.80 crore for ‘Trussed Bull’ sold in April 2025.
Founder Tushar Jiwarajka said Volte Una’s single-lot format lowers the traditional buyer’s premium.

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