Sharanabasappa Appa.

KALABURAGI: The pontiff of a religious mutt in Kalaburagi in north Karnataka has fathered a boy at the age of 82. The boy, born in a Mumbai hospital, is his ninth child.

Sharanabasappa Appa, the peetadhipathi of Sharana Basaveshwara Samsthana in Kalaburagi, had the boy from his second wife on Wednesday. He has five daughters from his first wife and three daughters from his second wife, who is 48 years old.

News of the boy's birth became the talk of the town. People thronged the mutt to catch a glimpse of the newborn. They were turned away by mutt officials, who said it would be days before the baby was brought home. The pontiff 's nephew, Lingarajappa Appa , said, “The baby was born in a private hospital in Mumbai. We are happy.“

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Sources said the pontiff had been longing for a son as he wanted an heir to take over the reins of the mutt, which has properties worth Rs 100 crore. The mutt owns Sharana Basaveshwara temple in Kalaburagi and a chain of education institutions.

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