TIRUPATI: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) received its biggest single-donor contribution of the year on Friday, with a Hyderabad-based devotee donating 10 crore to its Sri Venkateswara Nithya Annaprasadam Trust, which provides free meals to pilgrims.Srikanth Kodali, along with his family, handed over a cheque for the amount to TTD additional executive officer Ch Venkaiah Chowdary at the Tirumala temple on Friday. The donation will be used to provide free meals to millions of devotees visiting the hill shrine.The latest contribution comes amid a steady flow of donations to TTD. The trust’s highest-ever donation from a single devotee was recorded in Aug 2025, when an anonymous NRI gave 121kg of gold valued at 140 crore.TTD also received a record collective contribution of Rs 96.9 crore from 2,460 devotees in a single day on July 16 this year, following changes to the privileges offered under its donor policy.‘Free meals to over 7cr devotees yearly’On average, TTD receives cash donations of Rs 100 crore to Rs 130 crore and around 100 to 120 kg of gold every month at Tirumala. Annual hundi collections range between Rs 1,200 crore and Rs 1,600 crore, while gold donations average 1,000 to 1,400 kg a year.According to Chowdary, Sri Venkateswara Nithya Annaprasadam Trust was established to provide free food to devotees arriving at Tirumala from across the world. Supported by donations from devotees, the trust has become self-reliant and serves free meals to more than seven crore devotees annually. TTD began annaprasadam services at Tirumala in 1985, while Sri Venkateswara Nithya Annaprasadam Trust was formally established in 1994.“Annadanam is considered the most sacred form of charity. This is why the SV Annadanam Trust established by TTD has emerged as a pioneer among charitable trusts, judging by the patronage and donations it receives from devotees,” Chowdary said.
