Former TTD chief priest P. Srinivasa Murthy Dikshitulu (75) passed away at the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) in the wee hours of Monday.
Dikshitulu developed severe respiratory congestion on Saturday night and was immediately rushed to the hospital where on admission he had reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.
He belonged to Archakam Peddinti family which had mirasi rights at both Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala and Sri Govindarajaswamy temple in Tirupati.
According to chief priest Gollapalli Venugopala Dikshitulu, Mr. Srinivasa Murthy Dikshitulu had retired in 2018 after rendering ‘kainkaryams’ (service) for more than 55 years at both temples and is survived by four daughters and two sons, both of whom are also working in TTD temples as sambhavana archakas.
Archakam Peddinti family is among the four bestowed with ‘archakatvam’ rights under the erstwhile mirasidar system at the Tirumala temple.
