Tirupati, Jul 12 (IANS): Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) additional executive officer A.V. Dharma Reddy on Monday lamented that 'Veda Sakhas' have plummeted from 1,331 to just nine over the years and exhorted that there is a need to safeguard and propagate the 'Vedas'.

"Though we had 1,331 Veda Sakhas, only nine of them are available now. We need to safeguard and propagate this great treasure for the sake of our future generations," said Reddy on the 15th anniversary of Sri Venkateswara Vedic University.

Addressing the Vedic fraternity, he said the fruits of the vast knowledge available in the Vedas should reach everyone in the society to lead a righteous life.

He called on the students to take up extensive research and disseminate the treasures of Vedas to the entire world for a healthy way of life.

"This can be possible only through extensive research. Our Vedas taught about the emergence of life, the planet, solar system and other information related to science and geography millions of years ago, even before science explored through innovations in the last few centuries," Reddy noted.

Vice chancellor Sannidhanam Sudarshana Sharma said the university is putting in all the efforts to sustain Vedic knowledge for posterity by grooming Vedic virtuosos.