Tirupati: Three chief ministers – N. Chandrababu Naidu of Andhra Pradesh, Devendra Fadnavis of Maharashtra and Pramod Savanth of Goa, apart from Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar, will be in Tirupati to participate in the three-day International Temples Convention & Expo (ITCX) 2025, the world’s largest conclave on temple administration and management, from Monday.
Announcing this to media in Tirupati on Sunday, Temple Connect founder Giresh Kulkarni and ITCX chairman Prasad Lad, also chief whip of Maharashtra Legislative Council, said the convention aims to bring together Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain institutions to discuss modernisation of operations of temples, while preserving their religious and cultural heritage.
Anthyodaya Pratishthan, a Mumbai-based foundation, is collaborating in organising the convention, which will witness hybrid participation from 1,581 devotional institutions across 58 countries. More than 111 speakers, 15 workshops and over 60 stalls are part of the three-day convention, dubbed the “Maha Kumbh of Temples.”
Giresh Kulkarni and Prasad Lad said the convention will include keynote addresses, panel discussions and masterclasses covering essential aspects of temple administration, like fund management, crowd control, sustainability practices and security protocols.
Use of artificial intelligence, digital tools and fintech solutions for more efficient temple operations will be a key point of discussion. The event will explore topics like food distribution systems, waste management and energy sustainability, along with the role of temples in community services, such as healthcare, education, and charity.
ITCX 2025 has the support of Government of India. It has endorsements from the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, and the Incredible India initiative.
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation is the presenting partner, with support from the Archaeological Survey of India and endowment boards of several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka.
According to Meghaa Ghosh, co-curator and IP director of ITCX, the event will feature case studies on religious institutions like the Vasavi Temples and Batu Caves.
