TIRUPATI: The International Temples Convention & Expo (ITCX) 2025 concluded on a powerful note as Shri Prasad Lad announced the establishment of the International Temple Federation, a pioneering initiative to globally unify and strengthen Sanatan Dharma. The announcement came amidst the presence of top religious leaders, policymakers, and temple administrators, marking a historic step towards structured temple governance on an international scale.
ITCX Chairman Prasad Lad, who is also the Chief WHIP of Maharashtra Legislative Council, further elaborated on the International Temple Federation stating, “This is a bridge—a movement that will link temples across continents for knowledge sharing, upskilling and problem solving. This will be a first-of-its-kind initiative in India that will be guided by an advisory board comprising eminent scholars, spiritual leaders, administrators, and experts from all walks of life. Their wisdom will help shape policies, create sustainable practices, and foster a deeper understanding of our heritage,” he said.
The concluding day also witnessed a powerful thought-sharing speech by Shri Nara Lokesh, Minister of Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Human Resources and RTG for Andhra Pradesh. He called ITCX a global congregation that aims to economically and globally empower the temples. That ITXC follows the vision of managing temples efficiently with sustainable practices, resonated with the leader, who stated that Andhra Pradesh is focused on temple preservation and modernization to enhance the devotee experience.
Taking the vision of N Chandrababu Naidu’s vision ahead, Shri Nara Lokesh emphasised that technology will help transformation, “This is just the beginning. We live in an era where we talk about Spiderman, Superman and Avengers, but we also have our samskriti (cultural heritage) that we need to save and that is going to be very important. Leaders like us are travelling to Switzerland, to a small city in Davos to exchange ideas across ideas on health care, education and governance. The time has come for us to pull together a worldclass convention like that to bring thought leadership, to exchange ideas and best practices,” he said. He applauded ITCX for being the seat of conversation around the temple ecosystem and also added, “Our CM has given direction to create a seamless (pilgrim) experience. We believe technology will not only enhance safety of devotees but also help temple administration at large scale events. We are willing to learn from other states, and I believe we should have an endowment ministers conclave to exchange best practices,” he said.
The three-day event in Tirupati – the spiritual capital of Southern India, witnessed a grand confluence of ideas and initiatives in the temple administration domain. Esteemed dignitaries like Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, RSS Joint General Secretary C.R. Mukundaji, and Goa CM Pramod Sawant, emphasized a pan-India vision for temple management and temple-driven economic transformation. Giresh Kulkarni, founder of ITCX and Temple Connect, reflected on the incredible journey, shaped by the guidance of RSS Chief Shri Mohan Bhagwat and the efforts of Chairman Prasad Lad. Sharing a powerful anecdote, he quoted a 75-year-old trustee who said, “When you want others to change, be that change,” emphasizing personal responsibility in temple upkeep.
Recognizing the relentless efforts behind ITCX, Shri Prasad Lad and Shri Giresh Kulkarni were felicitated with the prestigious Chandi Mukut by Peetha Adhyaksh Sri Satpal Sharmaji Guruji of Shri Devikup Mahabhadrakali Shaktipeeth. This honor celebrated their contributions to temple administration, religious tourism, and spiritual heritage preservation, particularly through Temple Connect and ITCX.