ICAI to help Tirupati temple enhance accounting system

New Delhi: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, one of India's richest religious trusts, has roped in the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to bolster record-keeping of donations and contributions received from devotees and various entities.

The development comes as allegations of embezzlement of donations received by the Ram temple in Ayodhya have brought finances of various religious trusts and bodies into sharp focus. "Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) already has a strong accounting and auditing mechanism. Still they wanted to improve upon it and take it to the next level, so they sought our help," ICAI president Prasanna Kumar D said on Friday.

The trust maintains a dozen temples, including the iconic Tirupati Balaji temple, and their sub-shrines, employing about 14,000 people, according to its website. It has approved a budget of ₹5,456 crore for the current fiscal year.


ICAI is preparing a framework for the accounting of donations and contributions received by TTD, among other things, Kumar said.

The model framework, likely to be finalised in about 100 days, will be adopted by the trust, he said. The timing will be decided by TTD.

Other religious and charitable bodies can also implement the framework if they so wish, he said.

Responding to a question on whether ICAI would look into the alleged irregularities at the Ayodhya temple, Kumar said, "We don't have any information except for the media reports. We don't have any knowledge about what happened at Ram mandir." Kumar was addressing reporters on the sidelines of an AI Innovation Summit, organised by the ICAI in New Delhi.

Eight persons have so far been reportedly arrested over the alleged donation theft at Ram temple.

New Delhi: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, one of India's richest religious trusts, has roped in the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to bolster record-keeping of donations and contributions received from devotees and various entities.

The development comes as allegations of embezzlement of donations received by the Ram temple in Ayodhya have brought finances of various religious trusts and bodies into sharp focus. "Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) already has a strong accounting and auditing mechanism. Still they wanted to improve upon it and take it to the next level, so they sought our help," ICAI president Prasanna Kumar D said on Friday.

The trust maintains a dozen temples, including the iconic Tirupati Balaji temple, and their sub-shrines, employing about 14,000 people, according to its website. It has approved a budget of ₹5,456 crore for the current fiscal year.

ICAI is preparing a framework for the accounting of donations and contributions received by TTD, among other things, Kumar said.

The model framework, likely to be finalised in about 100 days, will be adopted by the trust, he said. The timing will be decided by TTD.

Other religious and charitable bodies can also implement the framework if they so wish, he said.

Responding to a question on whether ICAI would look into the alleged irregularities at the Ayodhya temple, Kumar said, "We don't have any information except for the media reports. We don't have any knowledge about what happened at Ram mandir." Kumar was addressing reporters on the sidelines of an AI Innovation Summit, organised by the ICAI in New Delhi.

Eight persons have so far been reportedly arrested over the alleged donation theft at Ram temple.