K. Jayakumar takes charge as Travancore Devaswom Board president amid Sabarimala gold theft row

Amid the controversy over the Sabarimala gold theft case that has cast a shadow over the Kerala government and the temple administration, former Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar took charge as president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Saturday (November 15, 2025). 

At a function at the TDB headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Jayakumar took the oath of office in the presence of Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan and other dignitaries. K. Raju was also inducted into the board as a member on the occasion. TDB secretary P.N. Ganeshwaran Potti administered the oath of office for the newly elected.

Travancore Devaswom Board president K. Jayakumar with outgoing president P. S. Prashanth (left) and Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan during the swearing-in function at the TDB headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday
| Photo Credit:
Nirmal Harindran

Addressing the function, Mr. Jayakumar said, “If the reputation of the Travancore Devaswom Board has been affected or the devotees’ concept of the Devaswom was impacted following the controversy, the first task of the newly assumed board is to restore the faith of devotees and the reputation of the board. It will also ensure that the incidents that contributed to such a situation are not repeated. The board and its activities would be guided according to the principle ‘Of the devotees, by the devotees, for the devotees,’” he said.

Mr. Jayakumar, who succeeded Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] member P.S. Prasanth, takes charge amid heightened scrutiny following the arrest of five individuals, including former TDB president and ex-Devaswom Commissioner N. Vasu, in connection with the gold theft case.