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.
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. (Image:DC)
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.
Key Presentations and Insights
The final day’s sessions showcased India’s rich temple heritage, remarkable management practices and community service.
The Hon’able Justice Indira Banerjee, the former Judge of Supreme Court of India discussed religious freedoms in India as guaranteed by the Constitution, particularly through Articles 25 to Articles 28. She also illustrated important constitutional principles like how religious freedom extends beyond just beliefs, to include rituals and practices. She emphasised how the State can regulate secular activities associated with religious institutions but not essential religious practices. She said, “Religious rights are subject to reasonable restrictions for public order, morality and health. These rights are available to all residents, not just citizens.”
A keynote presentation by Shri Balasaheb Sudam Kamble ji, President of the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, showcased the work done by the committee, including setting up blood donation camps for the Indian army, donating Rs 25 lakh to drought affected farmers across Maharashtra and organising IAS training camps. The committee has also set up Swatantryaveer Savarkar Granthalaya (library), employment centres, Sant Dnyaneshwar Reference Book Bank, Lalbaugcha Raja Dialysis Centre and Yoga Centre for the benefit of society.
“Lalbaugcha Raja mandal is 92 years old. We celebrate the Ganeshostsav 10 days in a year, but the rest of the 365 days, our aim is that donations must be used for the social benefit of the nation. The younger generation of Lalbaugcha Mandal is dedicated to taking up causes that cover social, medical and educational activities,” Shri Balasaheb Sudam Kamble ji said.
Dr. Kiran Shinde, tourism and planning specialist, presented insights on India's religious tourism, focusing on Maharashtra's temple towns. He noted India has 2000+ major temple towns based on sacred texts. Shinde explained that temple towns combine tangible heritage (the physical temple) with intangible heritage (nature worship), using Maharashtra as a microcosm of India's sacred geography.
On economics, he differentiated between single shrines like Shirdi and Tuljapur (where "70% of the population" works in temple-related activities) and pilgrimage trails/circuits. While trails sustain fairs and festivals, circuits sustain religious occupations through shared rituals despite varying visitation patterns.
Smt. Veena Patil, Executive Officer of Shri Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai, shared insights on the temple’s history, management, and social initiatives. She shared learnings around how, despite its compact 15,000 sq. ft. area, the temple efficiently manages queues and crowds even during major festivals like Bhadrapad Mahotsav and Maghi Ganesh Utsav that witness 4-5 lakh devotees. The temple also undertakes extensive social work, including dialysis centers, financial aid, and educational support. She emphasized on its transition from plastic to paper for eco-friendliness and concluded by encouraging other temples to adopt Siddhivinayak’s best practices for better management, efficiency and sustainability.
A panel featuring Shantanu Gupta, biographer of Yogi Adityanath, and Ami Ganatara, a scholar of Ramayana and Mahabharata, discussed the successful management model and infrastructure development of Mahakumbh under the Yogi Adityanath government. Shantanu Gupta shared an astonishing figure: “Around 55 crore people took a dip in the holy river of Ganga, and the number might increase to 60 crore.”
Ajit Parulekar, Director, Goa Institute of Management took a session on the importance of temple management and spoke about the scope of professional expertise across temples. “The overall temple economy is around Rs 3-5 lac crores equivalent to the IT and pharma industry. To connect with the new generation, temples need effective branding and perception management. With darshan time averaging one second per devotee, temples also need modern crowd management and logistics solutions” he said. “We aim to blend science and technology with tradition, creating case studies of temple management best practices for future leaders,” he concluded.
Thiru PR Selvam Alaghhappan delivered a compelling speech on temple tourism, emphasizing that temples are built on three principles - mythology, spirituality, and history. Stressing the importance of temple history, he said, “Many people pray to the almighty for blessings, but let us also remember the sacrifices made to protect our temples.” He pointed out the growing global interest in Indian temples, stating, “The Japanese and French are coming in search of Indian temples because that is where real peace, satisfaction, and energy lie.” He urged people to explore the historical chakra behind each deity, making a case for history-driven temple tourism.
Ami Ganatra, author of Hindu Resurgence in Indonesia, shared her experience of discovering Hindu influence in Indonesia, from Garuda Airlines to the linguistic similarities between Bahasa and Sanskrit. She was particularly intrigued by Pura Aditya Raya temple in Jakarta, which led her to explore the region’s Hindu history. She detailed how Hinduism declined with the rise of Islam and Christianity but was revived by leaders like Pandit Narayan Dev Shastri and Raghu Veera, who united Hindus under Panchashila- a doctrine emphasizing one supreme God, atma, karmafala, punarbhava, and moksha. She highlighted how Balinese Hindus remain deeply connected to their faith and urged Hindus in India to unite, saying, “We face different challenges, especially in Tamil Nadu, where the administration is against us. We cannot afford to remain divided.” She emphasized the need to align on universal Hindu principles to ensure future generations remain connected to their faith.
Shri Manoj Kamat, Principal at the SS Dempo college, Goa presented an insightful case study on religious tourism’s impact on India’s economy, challenging NSSO’s claim that temples contribute only 2.32% to GDP. He supported Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu’s estimate that temples contribute nearly 6% of GDP, stating, “Temples generate employment for 35 crore Indians, with 20% of the country directly benefiting from them.” He highlighted that Hindus dominate religious tourism, contributing “55% of the ₹6 lakh crore tourism economy, with 87% being domestic tourists.” He compared Ayodhya and Agra tourism, noting, “Taj Mahal sees 13 crore visitors annually, while Ayodhya saw 14 crore visitors in just nine months.” Post-Kashi Vishwanath Corridor development, tourism surged from 80 lakh to 7 crore visitors annually. He also stressed the need for dedicated pilgrimage circuits—Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vaishnava, Chaisava, and Krishna circuits - and advocated integrating Hindu Dharma education to strengthen cultural and spiritual tourism in India.
"The overwhelming success of ITCX 2025 demonstrates the growing importance of organized temple administration and religious tourism," concluded Shri Giresh Kulkarni. "This platform has enabled meaningful dialogue between traditional practices and modern management approaches."
With over 2000 temple towns across India generating employment for 35 crore Indians and contributing significantly to the nation’s GDP, the convention’s recommendations for sustainable development, technological integration and standardized management practices mark a pivotal moment in temple administration. As global interest in Indian temples continues to grow, ITCX 2025’s vision of unifying Sanatan Dharma while preserving its rich heritage promises to reshape the future of religious tourism and spiritual connectivity worldwide. The successful convergence of religious leaders and administrators in Tirupati has not only set new benchmarks for temple governance but also reinforced India’s position as a global spiritual beacon, bridging ancient traditions with contemporary needs.
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.
Key Presentations and Insights
The final day’s sessions showcased India’s rich temple heritage, remarkable management practices and community service.
The Hon’able Justice Indira Banerjee, the former Judge of Supreme Court of India discussed religious freedoms in India as guaranteed by the Constitution, particularly through Articles 25 to Articles 28. She also illustrated important constitutional principles like how religious freedom extends beyond just beliefs, to include rituals and practices. She emphasised how the State can regulate secular activities associated with religious institutions but not essential religious practices. She said, “Religious rights are subject to reasonable restrictions for public order, morality and health. These rights are available to all residents, not just citizens.”
A keynote presentation by Shri Balasaheb Sudam Kamble ji, President of the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, showcased the work done by the committee, including setting up blood donation camps for the Indian army, donating Rs 25 lakh to drought affected farmers across Maharashtra and organising IAS training camps. The committee has also set up Swatantryaveer Savarkar Granthalaya (library), employment centres, Sant Dnyaneshwar Reference Book Bank, Lalbaugcha Raja Dialysis Centre and Yoga Centre for the benefit of society.
“Lalbaugcha Raja mandal is 92 years old. We celebrate the Ganeshostsav 10 days in a year, but the rest of the 365 days, our aim is that donations must be used for the social benefit of the nation. The younger generation of Lalbaugcha Mandal is dedicated to taking up causes that cover social, medical and educational activities,” Shri Balasaheb Sudam Kamble ji said.
Dr. Kiran Shinde, tourism and planning specialist, presented insights on India's religious tourism, focusing on Maharashtra's temple towns. He noted India has 2000+ major temple towns based on sacred texts. Shinde explained that temple towns combine tangible heritage (the physical temple) with intangible heritage (nature worship), using Maharashtra as a microcosm of India's sacred geography.
On economics, he differentiated between single shrines like Shirdi and Tuljapur (where "70% of the population" works in temple-related activities) and pilgrimage trails/circuits. While trails sustain fairs and festivals, circuits sustain religious occupations through shared rituals despite varying visitation patterns.
Smt. Veena Patil, Executive Officer of Shri Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai, shared insights on the temple’s history, management, and social initiatives. She shared learnings around how, despite its compact 15,000 sq. ft. area, the temple efficiently manages queues and crowds even during major festivals like Bhadrapad Mahotsav and Maghi Ganesh Utsav that witness 4-5 lakh devotees. The temple also undertakes extensive social work, including dialysis centers, financial aid, and educational support. She emphasized on its transition from plastic to paper for eco-friendliness and concluded by encouraging other temples to adopt Siddhivinayak’s best practices for better management, efficiency and sustainability.
A panel featuring Shantanu Gupta, biographer of Yogi Adityanath, and Ami Ganatara, a scholar of Ramayana and Mahabharata, discussed the successful management model and infrastructure development of Mahakumbh under the Yogi Adityanath government. Shantanu Gupta shared an astonishing figure: “Around 55 crore people took a dip in the holy river of Ganga, and the number might increase to 60 crore.”
Ajit Parulekar, Director, Goa Institute of Management took a session on the importance of temple management and spoke about the scope of professional expertise across temples. “The overall temple economy is around Rs 3-5 lac crores equivalent to the IT and pharma industry. To connect with the new generation, temples need effective branding and perception management. With darshan time averaging one second per devotee, temples also need modern crowd management and logistics solutions” he said. “We aim to blend science and technology with tradition, creating case studies of temple management best practices for future leaders,” he concluded.
Thiru PR Selvam Alaghhappan delivered a compelling speech on temple tourism, emphasizing that temples are built on three principles - mythology, spirituality, and history. Stressing the importance of temple history, he said, “Many people pray to the almighty for blessings, but let us also remember the sacrifices made to protect our temples.” He pointed out the growing global interest in Indian temples, stating, “The Japanese and French are coming in search of Indian temples because that is where real peace, satisfaction, and energy lie.” He urged people to explore the historical chakra behind each deity, making a case for history-driven temple tourism.
Ami Ganatra, author of Hindu Resurgence in Indonesia, shared her experience of discovering Hindu influence in Indonesia, from Garuda Airlines to the linguistic similarities between Bahasa and Sanskrit. She was particularly intrigued by Pura Aditya Raya temple in Jakarta, which led her to explore the region’s Hindu history. She detailed how Hinduism declined with the rise of Islam and Christianity but was revived by leaders like Pandit Narayan Dev Shastri and Raghu Veera, who united Hindus under Panchashila- a doctrine emphasizing one supreme God, atma, karmafala, punarbhava, and moksha. She highlighted how Balinese Hindus remain deeply connected to their faith and urged Hindus in India to unite, saying, “We face different challenges, especially in Tamil Nadu, where the administration is against us. We cannot afford to remain divided.” She emphasized the need to align on universal Hindu principles to ensure future generations remain connected to their faith.
Shri Manoj Kamat, Principal at the SS Dempo college, Goa presented an insightful case study on religious tourism’s impact on India’s economy, challenging NSSO’s claim that temples contribute only 2.32% to GDP. He supported Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu’s estimate that temples contribute nearly 6% of GDP, stating, “Temples generate employment for 35 crore Indians, with 20% of the country directly benefiting from them.” He highlighted that Hindus dominate religious tourism, contributing “55% of the ₹6 lakh crore tourism economy, with 87% being domestic tourists.” He compared Ayodhya and Agra tourism, noting, “Taj Mahal sees 13 crore visitors annually, while Ayodhya saw 14 crore visitors in just nine months.” Post-Kashi Vishwanath Corridor development, tourism surged from 80 lakh to 7 crore visitors annually. He also stressed the need for dedicated pilgrimage circuits—Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vaishnava, Chaisava, and Krishna circuits - and advocated integrating Hindu Dharma education to strengthen cultural and spiritual tourism in India.
"The overwhelming success of ITCX 2025 demonstrates the growing importance of organized temple administration and religious tourism," concluded Shri Giresh Kulkarni. "This platform has enabled meaningful dialogue between traditional practices and modern management approaches."
With over 2000 temple towns across India generating employment for 35 crore Indians and contributing significantly to the nation’s GDP, the convention’s recommendations for sustainable development, technological integration and standardized management practices mark a pivotal moment in temple administration. As global interest in Indian temples continues to grow, ITCX 2025’s vision of unifying Sanatan Dharma while preserving its rich heritage promises to reshape the future of religious tourism and spiritual connectivity worldwide. The successful convergence of religious leaders and administrators in Tirupati has not only set new benchmarks for temple governance but also reinforced India’s position as a global spiritual beacon, bridging ancient traditions with contemporary needs.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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