Full Breakdown
Record-Breaking Ganesh Laddu Auctions Highlight Hyderabad’s Festival Charities
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Record-Breaking Balapur Ganesh Laddu Auction
On September 25, 2026, the 21-kg Balapur Ganesh laddu fetched a record INR39 lakh at the annual auction, INR4 lakh higher than the previous year’s winning bid. The winning offer came from Sama Praneeth Reddy, founder of Urban Group Private Limited. The auction follows the traditional morning procession of the 18-foot Ganesh idol through Balapur and precedes the 18-km Shobha Yatra to Hussain Sagar for immersion. The tradition began in 1994 when farmer Kolan Mohan Reddy purchased the laddu for INR450, and the price has risen steadily each year.
Expansion of Laddu Auctions Across Hyderabad Communities
The Balapur auction is the most prominent, but similar auctions occurred in gated-community societies throughout the city. On September 22, a 5-kg laddu at Keerthi Richmond Villas in Bandlaguda Jagir sold for INR1.01 crore, a drop from the INR2.32 crore fetched in 2025 when the laddu weighed 10 kg. Other notable bids included:
- INR21.11 lakh at My Home Mangala, Kondapur (won by Sambashiva Rao and Naveen).
- INR13.66 lakh at Raghupathi County, Pragathi Nagar.
- INR13.21 lakh at Indis Viva City, Kondapur (won by Ramsri Goutham and his wife Vaishali Bholewar).
- INR10.05 lakh at Devisthan Homes, Kukatpally.
These figures illustrate a city-wide surge in bidding, with amounts ranging from INR45,000 to INR21.11 lakh across societies such as My Home Mangala, GKRS Palacio Villas, and Golf View, Nanakramguda (the latter recorded a INR2.60 lakh bid on September 19).
Charitable Impact of Auction Proceeds
Proceeds from the laddu auctions are routinely directed to community-level charitable activities. The RV Diya Charitable Trust, which administers the Keerthi Richmond Villas auction, channels the entire amount to programs without deducting administrative fees. Data shared by the trust indicate that INR1.66 crore was spent during 2025-26 on:
- Support for 750+ students and children.
- Assistance to 150+ patients.
- Training for 300+ individuals.
- Daily outreach reaching 1,500+ people.
- Care for 100+ animals and contributions to old-age homes, school fees, and collaborations with roughly 60 NGOs.
Community societies also allocate portions of their proceeds to fund the next year’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, as expressed by several bidders.
Official Statements & Responses
A representative of the RV Diya Charitable Trust explained that the auction is designed as a collective fundraising exercise, with residents forming bidding groups rather than a single buyer dominating the process.
Community committee members in various societies reiterated that auction revenues support future festival logistics and broader philanthropic projects.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The auction proceeds will be used for next year’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations by the community committee,” — Ramsri Goutham
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All sources agree on the INR39 lakh figure for the 2026 Balapur laddu. However, the INR1.01 crore figure for the Keerthi Richmond Villas laddu appears in both the The Hindu and NDTV reports, confirming consistency. No substantive discrepancies were identified regarding auction dates or amounts.
What’s Next
The auction season will continue with scheduled sales at Keerthi Richmond Villas and My Home Bhooja on September 23. These upcoming events are expected to follow the same charitable model, reinforcing the link between devotional practice and community philanthropy.