45 crore crown for Lord Venkatreshwara

Karnataka's minister for tourism and leading industrialist Gali Janardhan Reddy Thursday presented a diamond-studded gold crown,
estimated to be worth Rs 450 million (Rs 45 crore), to the famous Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirupati.

Janardhan Reddy, who owns Brahmani steel plant and Obulapuram mines in Andhra Pradesh, made the rich offering on the occasion of his birthday.

He refused to publicly divulge the value of the crown but it is estimated to be Rs 450 million. The crown weighs 30 kg and it took nine months for the diamond workers to make it.

The businessman, a close ally of Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, offered prayers along with his family members at the world's richest temple located over Tirumala Hills and later presented the crown to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which manages the affairs of the temple.

TTD sources said the crown would adorn "Mool Virat", the presiding deity of Lord Venkateswara.




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