Overview
- Singhal assumed charge on September 10 at Tirumala’s Ranganayakula Mandapam and took the ex officio Member-Secretary oath administered by Additional EO Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary.
- He succeeds J. Syamala Rao, who has been transferred to the Andhra Pradesh General Administration Department as principal secretary (political).
- Singhal outlined priorities to sustain recent reforms and to raise footfall at TTD temples nationwide, including greater involvement of local sevaks and consideration of new Venkateswara temples in state capitals.
- During an early-morning Alipiri trek before taking charge, he said devotees praised improvements in the taste and quality of laddu and anna prasadam and offered suggestions for further changes.
- Rao said core services were unified on a single platform with an institutionalized feedback system reporting 96% positive responses, and he initiated a probe into alleged ghee adulteration in laddu preparation.