Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 15 (IANS) In a decisive move aimed at stabilising the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and repairing public trust shaken by the Sabarimala gold heist scandal, former Kerala Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar was on Saturday sworn in as the new President of the powerful temple administration body.

His appointment comes at a time when the Kerala High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing alleged theft and illegal sale of gold plating from the Sabarimala temple, reportedly involving former senior officials of the TDB.

Speaking soon after taking charge, a candid Jayakumar acknowledged that the controversy had triggered a “crisis in faith” among devotees.

“At the moment, the SIT is going forward in a good way. It is certainly very sad for the devotees. I will ensure such things don’t happen again,” he said.

Reiterating that his foremost priority is to “restore faith”, he promised zero tolerance toward any malpractice.

“There will be no more swindling. If the TDB is strong, nothing wrong will happen. If any wrong happens, it will be curtailed and dealt with appropriately.”

Jayakumar described his new role not as a challenge but “a great opportunity” at a critical juncture.

Incidentally, he takes charge just ahead of the two-month-long Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, opening on Monday.

The appointment of the 73-year-old retired bureaucrat marks a significant departure from past practice, as TDB leadership positions have traditionally been occupied by political appointees.

A widely respected administrator and cultural figure, Jayakumar has earned goodwill across the political spectrum, having held key positions under both the LDF and UDF governments.

His experience with Sabarimala’s operational mechanisms — including earlier stints in committees overseeing the pilgrimage — is expected to help navigate the turbulence created by the scandal.

Beyond bureaucracy, Jayakumar is also known as a poet, lyricist and screenwriter, and currently heads the Institute of Management in Government, the state’s premier civil service training centre.

Along with him, former State Forest Minister and veteran CPI leader K.Raju was also sworn in as a member.

For the state government, the fresh appointments signal a clear attempt to bring administrative depth and public confidence back to the TDB as it battles one of its most sensitive crises in recent memory.

–IANS

sg/vd