TTD to recommend renaming Renigunta Airport as Sri Venkateswara International Airport

The TTD Trust Board formally proposed to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation that Renigunta Airport be renamed Sri Venkateswara International Airport, reflecting the spiritual significance of Lord Venkateswara, the presiding deity of Tirumala.

Published Jun 18, 2025 | 9:35 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 18, 2025 | 9:35 AM

Renigunta Airport.

Synopsis: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Trust Board recommended renaming Renigunta Airport in Tirupati as Sri Venkateswara International Airport. It has also adopted several resolutions to preserve cultural traditions, impart ethical values, and engage diverse communities across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and beyond.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board, which met on Tuesday, 7 June, recommended renaming Renigunta Airport in Tirupati as Sri Venkateswara International Airport.

The announcement, made by TTD Chairman BR Naidu during a media conference at his camp office in Tirumala, was one of the bouquet of resolutions aimed at enhancing spiritual, cultural, and infrastructural development in the region.

The TTD Trust Board formally proposed to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation that Renigunta Airport be renamed Sri Venkateswara International Airport, reflecting the spiritual significance of Lord Venkateswara, the presiding deity of Tirumala.

Naidu said that the airport will be redesigned to incorporate aesthetic elements inspired by the Tirumala temple, aiming to create a “spiritual ambience” for pilgrims and visitors. This move is in tune with Andhra Pradesh’s efforts to elevate the region’s global spiritual and cultural identity, with the proposal already under consideration by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Resolutions adopted

Naidu also said another resolution adopted by the board concerned Dharmic programmes under the Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad (HDPP) to propagate Hindu Sanatana Dharma. These initiatives aim to preserve cultural traditions, impart ethical values, and engage diverse communities across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and beyond.

The main programmes include:

Training in priesthood and ‘vratams’: Expanding the existing training at the Sri Venkateswara Employees Training Academy (SVETA), TTD will offer programs on vratams (religious observance) and pooja procedures, targeting the backwards and fishermen communities to promote inclusivity in priesthood training.
Sadgamaya: An initiative to instil ethical values and personality development among students in TTD-run schools, fostering a generation rooted in moral principles.
Saubhagyam: A programme for women, to be observed on Varalakshmi Vratam (8 August 2025) across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, celebrating spiritual and cultural traditions.
Akshara Govindam: A literacy initiative which will be in tune with the Hindu Sanatana Dharma, providing children with a kit blessed by Sri Venkateswara to mark the akshrabhyasa samskaram (culture of education).
Harikatha Vaibhavam: A programme to sustain the legacy of Harikatha Parayanam, promoting traditional storytelling and devotional music.
Bhagavad Gita Anushtana Bodhana: A youth-oriented programme to provide insights from the Bhagavad Gita, equipping them to face daily challenges.
Bhaje Srinivasam: Training in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada Bhajans to preserve devotional music traditions.
Vana-Nidhi: A plantation drive to enhance environmental sustainability, complementing TTD’s earlier resolution to increase Tirumala’s green cover from 68.14 percent to 80 percent.
Giri Janardhanam: Conducting Srinivasa Kalyanams and spiritual programs in tribal areas to spread devotion.
Sanmargam: A program to inculcate ethical values among prisoners, guiding them toward a righteous path.

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Infrastructure and community-focused resolutions

Naidu announced that TTD will observe World Yoga Day on 21 June 2025, with a grand event at the Parade Grounds of the TTD Administrative Building in Tirupati. The celebration aims to promote physical and spiritual well-being, in consonance with the global recognition of yoga as a practice rooted in Indian tradition.

The TTD Trust Board also approved several infrastructure and community-focused resolutions:

Srivari Temple in Bengaluru: Following Naidu’s recent visit to Bengaluru for a Srinivasa Kalyanam event, where he met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, TTD resolved to build a Srivari temple in a prime Bengaluru location, pending land allocation by the Karnataka government.
Electric Buses for Tirumala: Union Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy has committed to providing 100 electric buses to TTD, enhancing eco-friendly transport for pilgrims visiting Tirumala.
CSIR Lab Collaboration: TTD will lease space in Tirupati to the Central Government for a CSIR laboratory, enabling free quality testing of ghee, water, and food items used in temple operations, ensuring purity and safety. This follows recent controversies over the quality of Tirupati laddus, which TTD has refuted as misinformation.
SV College Modernisation: The 73-year-old Sri Venkateswara College in New Delhi, managed by TTD, will undergo modernisation to enhance educational facilities.
Contract Lecturers’ Issue: In response to concerns about 200 contract lecturers employed by TTD for two decades, a three-member committee comprising the TTD Chairman, Executive Officer, and Andhra Pradesh Minister for Endowments has been formed, as suggested by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, to address their employment status. The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) has been asked to stall lecturer recruitment until the issue is resolved.

TTD board members J Nehru, Panabaka Lakshmi, Janaki Devi, Naresh, Sadashiva Rao, Santaram, Ramamurthy, and Diwakar Reddy attended the meeting alongside Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao.

(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)