An auction of contemporary and modern Indian art in New York City by Sotheby’s has fetched $ 6.7 million (more than Rs 36 crores).

One painting by Vasudeo S Gaitonde was sold for $ 965,000 (more than Rs 5.2 crores) in the auction early this week.

Gaitonde is one of India’s most important modern abstract painter.

This sale of works from esteemed collector and author Amrita Jhaveri was Sotheby’s first international evening sale of Indian art and the first single-owner sale in this category to be held at Sotheby’s in more than a decade.

A strong price was also achieved for Sayed Haider Raza’s ‘Rajasthan I’, at $ 809,000, while multiple bidders drove Francis Newton Souza’s ‘The Crucifixion’ to achieve $ 557,000, nearly double its $ 350,000 high, Sotheby’s said.