TTD Extends ₹5-Lakh Ex Gratia to Kin of Artistes Killed in Accident
The board announced that the children of the deceased Harikatha performers to receive free education up to degree level.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh each for the families of two private artistes who died in a road accident while travelling to perform an official Harikatha programme under the Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad (HDPP).
Violinist K. Chakravarthi and tabla artiste K. Nagaraju Chetty were engaged by the HDPP to perform at the TTD temple in Satravada on Friday. While travelling on a motorcycle at around 9 am, they were hit by an APSRTC bus near the Vadamalapeta–Pudi Crossroads and died on the spot.
TTD chairman B.R. Naidu said the artistes were on an official assignment when the accident occurred. "Their untimely death while travelling to discharge an official assignment has caused immense grief and financial hardship to their families," he said.
Noting that existing HDPP and TTD rules do not provide for funeral assistance or ex gratia to private artistes in such cases, Naidu said the matter had been considered on humanitarian grounds. Following discussions with executive officer Muddada Ravichandra, joint executive officer Dr A. Sharath and HDPP secretary Dr Medasani Mohan, TTD sanctioned ₹25,000 each towards funeral expenses and ₹5 lakh each as ex gratia.
The chairman also announced that if the deceased artistes have children, TTD will provide them free education in its educational institutions up to the degree level. The proposal will be placed before the next TTD trust board meeting for ratification.
