BR Naidu takes oath as TTD chairman

Tirupati : Bollineni Rajagopala Naidu, a prominent industrialist and owner of a vernacular news channel, was sworn in as the 54th chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board on Wednesday. Executive officer J Syamala Rao administered the oath inside the Srivari temple’s Bangaru Vakili in Tirumala. Naidu’s appointment, issued by the state government on November 1, includes 24 additional board members and four ex-officio members.

In line with temple traditions, B R Naidu first visited the Sri Bhu Varaha Swamy temple to offer prayers with his family before proceeding to the Srivari temple for the formal swearing-in ceremony.

Following his oath, he received blessings from Vedic scholars at the Ranganayakula Mandapam, where the executive officer presented him with temple prasadams.

Later, TTD additional executive officer Ch Venkaiah Chowdary conducted the swearing-in ceremony for some other newly appointed board members. Those who took oath on Wednesday include prominent individuals such as endowments secretary Satyanarayana, Vemireddy Prasanthi Reddy, Janga Krishnamurthy, M Rajasekhar Goud, J Sambasiva Rao, MS Raju, Narsi Reddy, B Mahendar Reddy, Anumolu Ranga Sri, B Anand Sai, Thammisetty Janaki Devi, R N Darshan, M Shantaram, S Naresh Kumar, Dr Adit Desai and P Ramamurthy, highlighting a mix of experience and regional representation with members from Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka.

One of the most notable appointments is that of former Chief Justice of India, H L Dattu, whose inclusion is seen as a commitment to enhancing the board’s governance standards. The new board also retains long-serving members, including Krishnamurthy Vaidyanathan of Chennai, who has served five consecutive terms and is known for his connections with Union home minister Amit Shah. Suchitra Ella, MD of Bharat Biotech and Saurabh Bora from Maharashtra, both seasoned board members, continue their tenure as well.

The reconstitution of the board contrasts with previous, often controversial, compositions under the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government. In 2019, the TTD board had an unusually high number of 24 members, four ex officio members and seven special invitees, sparking criticism.

The 8-member board appointed in 2021, including 52 special invitees, had become even more controversial, prompting opposition and ultimately a court order to limit political influence by banning special invitee appointments.