BR Naidu appointed chairman of TTD board

Tirupati : After months of anticipation, the state government on Wednesday announced the formation of the Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board, appointing media channel owner Bollineni Rajagopal Naidu, popularly known as BR Naidu, as its chairman.

Naidu’s appointment, although long speculated, puts an end to the uncertainty that has surrounded the selection process since the state’s change of administration in June.

Despite a few other names circulating widely, BR Naidu emerged as the consistent frontrunner for the prestigious role.

The newly-appointed TTD Board includes a total of 23 members apart from the chairman, including key political figures and prominent personalities.

Three MLAs -- Jyothula Nehru from Jaggampeta, Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy from Kovur and MS Raju from Madakasira -- have been appointed to the Board, with Prashanthi Reddy bringing previous experience from the YSRCP government’s TTD Board. She joined the TDP ahead of this year's elections and was elected to the Assembly.

The Board’s members represent a mix of political, judicial and business backgrounds. Among the notable appointees are former Union Minister Panabaka Lakshmi, former Chief Justice of India HL Datt and Bharat Biotech Managing Director Suchitra Ella, who also served on the TTD Board during the previous TDP and YSRCP tenures. Art director Buragapu Anand Sai, recommended by Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan, was also appointed. Sai's close association with Pawan Kalyan was evident during the leader’s recent Tirumala visit, where he was accompanied by Sai and film director Trivikram Srinivas.

The Board reflects a wide geographical representation, including P Ramamurthy from Tamil Nadu, RN Darshan and Naresh Kumar from Karnataka, and Dr Adit Desai from Gujarat. Justice HL Datt, also from Karnataka, joins members from Telangana such as Narsi Reddy, B Mahendar Reddy, Anugolu Rangashree and the returning member Suchitra Ella. Saurabh H Bora represents Maharashtra.

One unexpected detail of the list is the absence of members from Tirupati, where the TTD is based. Aspirants from parties like TDP, JSP, and BJP in Tirupati had made considerable efforts to secure a position, only to face disappointment after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s final decision. Chairman appointee BR Naidu originally hails from there but is currently settled in Hyderabad.

To recall, under the previous YSRCP government, YV Subba Reddy held the chairman’s post for most of the five-year term, followed by Bhumana Karunakar Reddy in the last year before the Assembly elections. The defeat in that elections in May led to his resignation. The new Board is expected to be sworn in soon and is likely to serve a two-year term.