Naidu’s golden moments at Tirumala Brahmotsavams

 Tirupati: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu basked in golden moments on Wednesday, while creating a unique and perhaps unbeatable record at least for the present, by offering silk robes to Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala for the 15th time as part of this year’s Brahmotsavams.

The tradition of presenting silk robes on behalf of the state government was started in 1983 by Telugu Desam Party founder and then chief minister NT Rama Rao. Successive chief ministers, including Congress leaders, Dr M Channa Reddy, N Janardhan Reddy and Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy, upheld the practice till 1994.

After becoming Chief Minister in 1995, Naidu not only continued it but also carried forward the family legacy of his father-in-law NTR, reinforcing TDP’s deep cultural and spiritual bond with Tirumala.

Initially, the robes were offered on Garuda Seva day. In 2003, however, Naidu narrowly survived a claymore mines attack at Alipiri while on his way to Tirumala for the ritual. As he had to be hospitalised, then TTD Chairman Pappala Chalapathi Rao presented the silk vastrams to the Lord on behalf of the State, ensuring the tradition was not broken.

Given the huge turnout of pilgrims for Garuda Seva, it was later decided that the presentation of robes should be advanced to Dwajarohanam day -- the ceremonial start of the Brahmotsavams.

From 2004 to 2008, Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy followed this practice, which was later continued by K Rosaiah (2009–2010) and N Kiran Kumar Reddy (2011–2013).

After the bifurcation of the state, Naidu, as the first Chief Minister of residuary Andhra Pradesh, offered silk robes from 2014 to 2018. Barring two years during Covid, YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also carried on the custom during his tenure (2019–2023). Returning to office in 2024, Naidu once again had the honour, repeating it in 2025.

Thus, Naidu presented the silk robes in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2024 and 2025 – the most by any Chief Minister in the history of Tirumala Brahmotsavams.