Bigil producer Archana, singer Velmurugan appointed to Tamil Nadu temple panel

Tamil film producer and AGS Entertainment CEO Archana Kalpathi and popular singer Velmurugan have been appointed as members of the Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government's committee. The panel has been constituted to select eligible candidates for appointment as non-hereditary trustees to temples under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.The seven-member committee has been formed to scrutinise applications and prepare a panel of eligible candidates for appointment as non-hereditary trustees to temples with an annual income of more than Rs 10 lakh.According to the government order, the panel will be headed by Thavathiru Sivagnana Balaya Swamigal of Bommapuram Adheenam, Mayilam. Retired District and Sessions Judge Dr K Ramnathan has been appointed as the vice-chairperson. Archana Kalpathi Aghoram and singer Velmurugan are among the members of the committee. Retired IAS officer P R Sampath, Ma Sumathi alias Sumathisri and Tha Velmurugan are the other members. The HR&CE Commissioner will serve as the ex-officio member and secretary.Archana Kalpathi joins HR&CE committeeArchana Kalpathi, CEO and creative producer of AGS Entertainment, has been associated with several major projects produced and distributed by the company. AGS Entertainment, founded by the Kalpathi brothers, has backed films including Atlee's Bigil, Pradeep Ranganathan's Love Today and Venkat Prabhu's The Greatest of All Time, starring Vijay, among other films. An engineering graduate with a master's degree in computer science, Archana initially worked in the software industry before joining the family-run entertainment business. She has since played a key role in the company's film production and business operations.Her appointment comes as the Tamil Nadu government continues its process of appointing non-hereditary trustees to temples administered by the HR&CE Department. In July, the department invited applications for trustee appointments to thousands of temples across the state.Singer Velmurugan appointed member Singer Velmurugan, who is known for his folk music, has also been appointed to the committee. Following his appointment, he expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, the Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments S Ramesh, and HR&CE Commissioner J Kumara Gurubaran, among others.Speaking about his new responsibility, Velmurugan said, "I will not consider this merely as a position, but as a responsibility, and I will carry out my duties with sincerity. I am extremely happy to have been given this opportunity to serve the Almighty."He further said he would discharge the responsibility with dedication and humility, viewing the appointment as an opportunity to serve both the divine and the community.Velmurugan began his singing career with Sasikumar's Subramaniapuram in 2008 and went on to lend his voice to several popular Tamil songs, including Madura Kulunga Kulunga, Aadungada Machaan, Otha Sollaala, Sangili Bungili, Aambalaikum Pombalaikum and Venaam Machan. He also participated in Bigg Boss Tamil Season 4 in 2020.- EndsPublished On: Aug 11, 2026 10:33 IST