BR Naidu, the newly appointed Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Governing Council, has announced a ban on political speeches within the sacred Tirumala temple premises. The decision, aimed at preserving the sanctity of the site, was emphasized with a warning that legal action will be taken against any violations. This move comes in the wake of a recent controversy involving the quality of ingredients in the Tirupati laddus, sparking a public outcry over standards at the temple.
The announcement was made during the first meeting of the newly formed TTD Trust Board, held at Annamaiah Bhavan in Tirumala. Naidu, leading the meeting, outlined a series of initiatives among the 80 agenda items discussed. One significant decision was related to staffing, as Naidu proposed Voluntary Retirement Schemes (VRS) for non-religious employees and stressed that only Hindus should be employed in temple services.
To improve the experience for devotees, Naidu announced plans to utilize Artificial Intelligence to optimize the darshan process. He envisions reducing the time for ordinary devotees to complete darshan to just three hours. Additionally, a special darshan will be introduced for local residents, scheduled for the first Tuesday of every month.
Naidu also revealed structural changes within the temple’s organizational framework. The SRIVANI Trust, which previously focused on funding temple development across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, has been dissolved and its responsibilities merged into an existing trust. In recognition of staff contributions, a special Brahmotsava reward will be given to TTD employees.
Since his appointment as the 54th Chairman of the TTD Governing Council, BR Naidu has emphasized his commitment to maintaining transparency and efficiency in temple management, striving to uphold the religious and cultural integrity of Tirumala.
