The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has hit headlines once again with the decision of its newly-constituted board to disallow non-Hindus from working at the Tirumala temple. The Trust, which met for the first time since it was constituted afresh after the formation of a new government in Andhra Pradesh, took several other decisions at its meeting held on Monday, besides barring non-Hindus from temple administration.
As per the official website of the Tirumala temple, the TTD is a conglomeration of temples, brought under the First Schedule 2 of the Act 30 of 1987, with a Board of Trustees constituted by members appointed by the state 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 & 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 and provides facilities besides working towards preserving the serenity and sanctity of the sacred Tirumala-Tirupati area.
The TTD is managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Board, and the Andhra Pradesh government appoints the head of the TTD.
Who are the TTD Board members?
The TTD Board was dissolved and a new Board appointed as per the orders of the state government date November 1, 2024. Here is the list of its members:
B.R. Naidu - Chairman
Jyothula Nehuru, MLA (TDP) - Member
G. Bhanu Prakash Reddy, MLA (BJP) - Member (Andhra Pradesh)
Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy, MLA (TDP) - Member (Andhra Pradesh)
MS Raju, MLA (TDP) - Member (Andhra Pradesh)
Panabaka Lakshmi - Member (Andhra Pradesh)
Nannuri Narsi Reddy - Member (Telangana)
Jasti Poorna Sambasiva Rao - Member (Telangana)
Nannapaneni Sadasiva Rao - Member (Telangana)
Krishnamoorthy Vaithiyanathan - Member (Tamil Nadu)
Akkina Muni Koteshwara Rao - Member (Andhra Pradesh)
Mallela Rajashekar Goud - Member (Andhra Pradesh)
Janga Krishnamurthy - Member (Andhra Pradesh)
R.N. Darshan - Member (Karnataka)
M. Shantharam - Member (Andhra Pradesh)
P Ramamoorthy - Member (Tamil Nadu)
Thammisetty Janaki Devi - Member (Andhra Pradesh)
Boongunooru Mahender Reddy, Member - Telangana
Anugolu Rangasri, Member - Telangana
Suchitra Ella, Member - Telangana
S. Naresh Kumar, Member - Karnataka
Adit Desai, Member - Gujarat
Saurabh H.Bora, Member - Maharashtra
G. Bhanu Prakash Reddy, Member - Andhra Pradesh
S. Satyanarayana, Member Ex-Officio - Secretary to Govt. (FAC), AP
S. Satyanarayana, Member (Ex-Officio) - Commissioner (Endowments)
J. Syamala Rao, IAS, Executive Officer & Member Secretary (Ex-Officio) - Tirupati
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD): Assets
The TTD is also known as the world's richest Hindu temple trust with assets worth over Rs 2.5 lakh crore as of September 2022, news agency PTI reported citing officials. This includes land parcels, buildings, cash and gold deposits in the banks, given as offerings to the temple by devotees.
The Tirupati trust annually earns a whopping sum of Rs 1600 crore in the form of interests on its Fixed Deposits. As on April of 2024, the Tirupati trust's cash balances in banks and its numerous trusts have gone up to a staggering Rs 18817 crore, according to a Times Of India report.
TTD's year-wise fixed deposits since 2013:
2013: Rs 608 crore
2014: Rs 970 crore
2015: Rs 961 crore
2016: Rs 1153 crore
2017: Rs 774 crore
2018: Rs 501 crore
2019: Rs 285 crore
2020: Rs 753 crore
2021: Rs 270 crore
2022: Rs 274 crore
2023: Rs 757 crore
2024: Rs 1161 crore
The Tirumala temple hit headlines earlier this year after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu claimed that the ghee used to prepare the prasadam that was offered to the deity and later distributed among devotees contained animal fat. A detailed investigation into the allegations are underway. The matter also reached the Supreme Court which said it would not allow the court to be used to settle political scores.
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