TIRUPATI: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams' officer on special duty Dollar Seshadri, who was a familiar face for all the VVIPs, and the devotees of Lord Venkateswara visiting the Tirumala temple, died at the age of 73 due to cardiac arrest at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh in early hours on Monday.
Dollar Seshadri joined the TTD in 1978 and continued to serve at the Tirumala temple as an officer on Special duty post his retirement in 2006.
After playing a key role in the transition-abolition of the hereditary archakas-potu mirasis systems at the Tirumala temple which were abolished by the Andhra Pradesh government in 1996 after a prolonged legal battle, Dollar Seshadri emerged as the face of the richest Hindu temple in the country as far as all the religious festivities are concerned at the hill temple.
Though he was forced to quit and stay away from the Tirumala temple for a brief while after the gold dollars scam rocked the TTD, he rejoined TTD after the local court acquitted him in the case and went on to serve the almighty till his last breath despite being troubled by several health related ailments.
During his several interactions with journalists and TTD officials in the past, Dollar Seshadri Swamy always used to state that his only wish was to serve the almighty till his last breath and he lived his life that way till he died this morning.
TTD sources said Dollar Seshadri went to Visakhapatnam to attend Karthika Deepotsavam festivities and died this morning after he suffered a major cardiac arrest.
His mortal remains are being shifted to Tirupati where his final rites will be performed on Tuesday. .
People from different walks of life expressed deep anguish after learning about the sudden demise of Dollar Seshadri Swamy.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy and former chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu expressed their grief over the sudden demise of Dollar Seshadri.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams chairman YV Subba Reddy expressed deep anguish over the sudden demise of Dollar Seshadri due to a cardiac arrest on Monday morning.
"It is an irreparable loss to the TTD as Dollar Seshadri Swamy has been rendering invaluable services to the Tirumala temple even after his retirement in 2007 till his last breath. I express my heartfelt condolences to his family for their personal loss. TTD is making all arrangements for shifting his mortal remains to Tirupati where his final rites will be performed with appropriate honours", stated YV Subba Reddy.
TTD EO Dr KS Jawahar Reddy too expressed his condolences. Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy broke down into tears while sharing about the special bonding he had with Dollar Seshadri Swamy.
Meanwhile, several former bureaucrats who served as TTD EOs and JEOs are likely to take part in the final rites of Dollar Seshadri Swamy.
Pictures of Dollar Seshadri Swamy taken at the Tirumala temple with several Prime ministers and Presidents of India, Chief ministers and VVIPs went viral in the social media on Monday after news of his death sent shockwaves across the country.
A pictoral tribute to Dollar Seshadri Swamy who dedicated his entire life to Lord Venkateswara and the Tirumala temple.
