Dr M. V. Soundararajan, senior priest of the famed Chilkur Balaji Temple and former professor at Osmania University, widely respected for preserving the temple’s unique traditions and spiritual ethos, passed away in Hyderabad on Friday following age-related illness. He was 74.
Soundararajan served for decades as chief priest of the temple, popularly known as the “Visa Balaji Temple”, and emerged as a prominent religious figure who blended devotion with social awareness.
Notably, the deity here was often colloquially called the 'Visa God', as a number of people believed praying here cleared the obstacles for them to obtain foreign visas—especially US visas.
Under his stewardship, the temple gained national recognition for maintaining distinctive practices such as refusing donations, VIP privileges, and hundi collections, thereby emphasising equality among devotees.
On learning of his death, thousands of devotees, political leaders and public figures expressed grief over his demise, recalling his simplicity, accessibility and commitment to spiritual values rooted in service rather than ritual grandeur. The temple premises witnessed a steady stream of devotees paying their last respects, while religious rites were conducted in accordance with traditional customs under the supervision of family members and temple authorities.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed profound condolences, describing Soundararajan’s death as an irreparable loss to the spiritual and cultural life of Telangana. In a statement, the Chief Minister said the priest transformed the Chilkur temple into a symbol of faith, integrity and social harmony that attracted devotees from across India and abroad. He noted that Soundararajan’s insistence on transparency and equal treatment of devotees set a rare example for religious institutions.
Former vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu paid tribute, stating that Soundararajan dedicated his life to dharma and public good while protecting temple traditions from commercialisation. Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy declared that his passing marked the end of an era for devotees of Lord Balaji in Telangana and praised his efforts to keep the temple accessible to ordinary people.
Born into a family of temple priests, Soundararajan inherited the responsibility of serving at Chilkur Balaji temple and went on to become one of Telangana’s most recognisable religious voices.
In 1996, when the Endowments Department of the then Andhra Pradesh government attempted to take over the temple, he firmly resisted the move and announced that the shrine would not accept hundi collections, making it administratively unattractive for government control and preserving its autonomy.
Under his leadership, the temple moved away from commercial religious practices. The head priest regularly interacted with devotees, speaking on constitutional values, environmental protection, and communal harmony, earning admiration beyond religious circles. His speeches would continue while devotees made the famous 108 rounds in the temple.
Before dedicating himself fully to religious service, Soundararajan had a distinguished academic career as a professor of commerce at Osmania University. He later served as Registrar of the university, where he was known for administrative discipline and academic integrity.
Soundararajan is survived by family members and disciples. His passing leaves behind a spiritual legacy closely intertwined with the identity of the Chilkur Balaji Temple and its enduring message of faith without barriers.