Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) OSD (Officer on Special Duty) Pala Seshadri popularly, Dollar Seshadri died of cardiac arrest on the morning of 29th November 2024, at the age of 74 years in Visakhapatnam. He took his last breath on the way to the hospital.
Dollar Sheshadri was in the port city for ‘Kartika Deepotsavam’. On Sunday night, he attended some rituals at TTD Kalyana Mandapam and was staying there.
As per the TTD sources, he complained of chest pain around 4 am and the officials him to the Appollo Hospital but on the way, he died.
Pala Seshadri’s body has been kept at the King George hospital. The officials were making arrangements to shift it to Tirupati and his last rites will be performed there, on Tuesday.
Seshadri has been serving the Tirumala Devastanams shrine since 1978. He attained retirement on 31st July 2006 but the successive governments had extended his term as OSD.
Dollar Sheshadri was well-versed with the temple history and all the rituals. His presence was considered a must whenever a VIP used to do temple visits.
Seshadri was the divine guide for then President Giani Zail Singh, Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, AB Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, Narendra Modi, governors, chief ministers, and other VIPs during their temple visit.
Dollar Seshadri was named after the dollar on a chain around his neck. He has a good influence in the government and enjoyed good relations with bureaucrats and politicians.
Seshadri has been named in the scandal which was about the 310 gold coins (dollars) loss from the temple treasury. This was reported in 2007. These dollars went missing in the year 2005 when Seshadri was in-charge.
After a vigilance inquiry, he was suspended in August 2008. Seshadri wrote to TTD claiming to be innocent and even served a legal notice then TTD instated him again.
He was given another extension in 2010. Then, Congress leader Magunti Gopal Reddy challenged this in AP high court through a PIL.
The petitioner alleged Seshadri was shown undue favors by the TTD despite his name being involved in the temple jewel scandals.
In the year 2011, Andhra Pradesh High Court had dismissed the extension of Seshadri’s services. However, he approached the Supreme Court, which ruled in his favor.
Since then, Seshadri had been getting extensions as Officer on Special Duty and this is said to be recorded in the TTD history.
The Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has conveyed his condolences to the Sheshadri family members.
