Controversies plague India's richest temple board: What is net worth of Tirumala Temple Trust and who runs it

The shawl scam is the latest in a string of procurement and theft controversies to trouble the TTD

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the trust managing the renowned Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh, is in the spotlight once again – this time over a Rs 55 crore silk shawl scam, spanning over a decade.

The scam came to light following an internal vigilance inquiry that found that a fabric supplier consistently delivered polyester shawls while billing them as pure mulberry silk specified in the tender documents.

The internal investigation, which was initiated after the TTD board under chairman BR Naidu raised concerns, pointed to the extent of the alleged fraud. The contractor allegedly provided low-cost polyester fabric in place of the required pure mulberry silk used for the shawls, which are gifted to major donors and used in rituals such as the Vedasirvachanam.

“A shawl that costs about Rs 350 was being billed at Rs 1,300. The total supplies over the last decade amount to more than Rs 50 crore. We have directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau to investigate this matter thoroughly,” BR Naidu said.

The irregularities reportedly took place over a ten-year period between 2015 to 2025, resulting in an estimated loss of about Rs 55 crore to the temple trust.

The shawl scam is the latest in a string of procurement and theft controversies to trouble the TTD, coming after allegations of adulterated ghee in laddu prasadam and the Parakamani (hundi counting) theft case.

As per the official website, the TTD is a conglomeration of temples, brought under the First Schedule 2 of the Act 30 of 1987. The Board of Trustees is constituted by members appointed by the government.

The executive officer is the chief executive of TTD. He is assisted by two joint executive officers, chief vigilance and security officer, conservator of forests, financial advisor and chief accounts officer, and chief engineer. Besides, there are officials to look after the different branches of administration.

The TTD maintains 12 temples and their sub-shrines, and employs about 14,000 people. It has dedicated itself to serving pilgrims who visit Tirumala and Tirupati.

Currently, BR Naidu is the chairman of the TTD trust board.

As of the recent data, the net worth of TTD is estimated at around Rs 3 lakh crore, making it one of the wealthiest religious institutions in the world. This includes cash and fixed deposits, gold, and more than 960 properties across India. Its wealth comes from annual offerings and donations, making it richer than many major corporations.

The shawls, an essential component of Tirumala’s rituals, are given to donors, visiting dignitaries, and Veda Aseervachanam participants during ceremonies such as those held at the Ranganayakula Mandapam.

The TTD mandates detailed technical requirements for these ceremonial dupattas: they must be crafted from pure mulberry silk, display the Silk Mark hologram, and use certified zari borders.

The warp and weft are required to be 20/22 denier silk -- totalling at least 31.5 denier -- with a minimum weight of 180 grams, including 110 grams of degummed, dyed silk. Each dupatta must measure 1 metre by 2.3 metres, feature a double-sided 2.5-inch border, and include “Om Namo Venkatesaya” in Telugu and Sanskrit, accompanied by the Sanku, Chakra, and Namam symbols at the centre.

The irregularity came to light after TTD found that substandard shawls were being supplied to the temple. An internal vigilance inquiry was conducted in November, and a detailed report was submitted to the board.

Laboratory tests on the fabric samples were carried out in Dharmavaram in Sri Satya Sai district and in Bengaluru, an official told PTI.

According to the findings, the shawls did not meet tender specifications, and tests confirmed that the material was inferior and not silk.