TIRUPATI: Mohit Pandey, a post-graduate from the TTD-run Sri Venkateswara Vedic University (SVVU) in Tirupati, has been selected as one of the 50 priests to serve at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Expressing happiness over Pandey’s achievement, SVVU vice-chancellor Prof Rani Sadasiva Murthy told TNIE, “Many students from the University serve as priests and acharyas in various temples. A soft-spoken person, Pandey’s nature, focus and dedication to his studies have earned him the opportunity to serve Lord Ram in the esteemed Ayodhya Ram mandir.”
A native of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Pandey was among the staggering 3,000 candidates who were vying to secure a position of serving as a priest at the Ayodhya Ram temple, which will be inaugurated in January next year. After completing his Class X at the Dudheshwar Ved Vidyapeeth in Ghaziabad, Pandey enrolled on a BA (Sastri) course at SVVU in the academic year 2020-21.
He earned a Master’s degree in Sama Veda earlier this year. Pandey’s journey from Ghaziabad to Tirupati and now to Ayodhya stands as a testament to his dedication and rigorous training. His selection also underscores the pivotal role played by educational institutions like SVVU in producing qualified individuals for service in spiritual capacities.