Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra appointed first CEO of Ayodhya Ram temple trust

Ayodhya: Former Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra has been appointed the first chief executive officer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, while Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, the trust's treasurer, will take over as general secretary, replacing Champat Rai.The decisions were taken unanimously at a meeting of the trust held at Maniram Das Chhawani in Ayodhya on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das. The meeting was attended by senior office-bearers and invited members of the trust.New leadership at temple trustThe appointment of Govind Dev Giri as general secretary assumes significance as he will take over the position previously held by Champat Rai and will head the executive functioning of the temple trust.Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh: Interim General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Krishna Mohan says, "The first name was Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra Ji, the second name was Major General Sanjay Singh Vishwasrao, and the third was Shruti Bhardwaj. Based on the… pic.twitter.com/FrxvBdOYud— IANS (@ians_india) September 2, 2026 Rai had resigned from the post after allegations were raised over the functioning and financial affairs of the trust. His resignation came after a controversy surrounding alleged irregularities in the management of temple donations and other administrative matters.Trust's acting general secretary Krishna Mohan said 16 candidates were interviewed for the CEO's post, following which three names were shortlisted. They were Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra, Major General Sanjay Pratap Singh and Shruti Bhardwaj. The trust subsequently finalised Mishra's name.Mishra’s role and backgroundMishra's appointment comes as the Ram temple moves beyond its construction phase towards regular operations and the development of the temple complex as a major religious and tourism centre.The CEO will oversee the temple's day-to-day administrative and operational arrangements, including management of devotees, security, darshan systems, staff, facilities and coordination among various government agencies.Mishra joined the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on December 6, 1986. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy in Pune and the Air Force Test Pilots School, he accumulated more than 3,000 hours of flying experience during his career and flew more than 18 types of aircraft.He held several important command and staff positions in the Air Force and served as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff. He also served in senior command positions and received training at prominent defence institutions in India, the United States and Britain.Rajasthan: Woman Worker Killed In Tiger Attack At Jaipur's Nahargarh Biological ParkTemple administration expansionMishra, originally from Bhopatpura village in the Bhatpar Rani area of Deoria district, rose through the ranks to senior leadership positions in the IAF. He has been decorated with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service.His military experience in command, organisational management, operational planning and coordination is expected to be useful as the temple administration prepares to handle large numbers of devotees and an expanding range of facilities.The trust also announced the appointment of three new members: Madan Mohan Pandey, a senior advocate from Ayodhya, Mahesh Bhagchandka of Delhi and Dr Nirmala Yadav of Shikohabad.Pandey was part of the legal team that represented Ram Lalla in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute. According to Krishna Mohan, he is a resident of Ayodhya and has been associated with the legal proceedings concerning the Ram Janmabhoomi case.Yadav, a resident of Shikohabad, holds postgraduate degrees in Hindi and Sanskrit and has around 15 years of experience working at a university.Also Watch:Trust meeting detailsThe trust's Wednesday meeting was attended by senior members and invited representatives. Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad joined the meeting online.A second meeting was held at 3 p.m., which was also attended by Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee.The trust's principal members include senior Supreme Court advocate K. Parasaran, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, chairman of the trust, and Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj.Other members include Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati of Prayagraj, Jagadguru Madhvacharya Swami Vishwaprasanna Tirtha of Pejawar Math in Udupi, Yugpurush Parmanand Ji Maharaj of Haridwar and Mahant Dinendra Das, representing the Nirmohi Akhara.The ex-officio and government representatives include Nripendra Misra, chairman of the temple construction committee, Prashant Lokhande, representing the central government, Sanjay Prasad, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, and Ayodhya District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi.

Jitendra Mishra, a former IAF officer and commanding chief during Operation Sindoor, has been appointed as the first CEO of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya. The selection involved screening 5,585 applications. 

Retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra was appointed the first CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. His selection followed a rigorous process involving thousands of applications and multiple interview rounds. Mishra brings extensive experience in operational planning and managing large formations from his military career. He played a significant role in commanding air operations during Operation Sindoor and received a prestigious military medal.

Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra has been appointed the first CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. He commanded the Indian Air Force's Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. Mishra brings extensive experience from nearly four decades of service in the Indian Air Force. He is a decorated officer, having received the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal for his distinguished service.

Retired Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra has been appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.Trust strengthens administrationMishra, who previously served as the Chief of the Indian Air Force’s Western Air Command, took charge of the command in January 2025. His appointment comes as the temple trust seeks to strengthen its administrative functioning following allegations of donation theft that had raised concerns over the management of funds.BIG: Ram Temple Trust gets its first CEO. Air Marshal (R) Jitendra Mishra is the new CEO.He was Western Air Command Chief during Operation Sindoor and is a veteran fighter pilot (FILE PIC) pic.twitter.com/CyV89c2nRD— Padmaja Joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) September 2, 2026 The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had invited applications for the CEO’s post in July this year. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the temple committee said the search committee constituted to select the Trust’s first CEO had shortlisted three candidates and submitted their names to the Trust. Mishra was subsequently selected for the position.Mishra's IAF careerAccording to the Defence Ministry, Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on December 6, 1986. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Pune; Air Force Test Pilots School, Bengaluru; Air Command and Staff College in the US; and the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK.Why Bureaucrats Are Queuing Up For The Ram Mandir CEO’s PostA Fighter Combat Leader, Mishra has more than 3,000 hours of flying experience. During his 38-year career, he has held several key command and staff positions, including commanding a fighter squadron, serving as Chief Test Pilot at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment, and heading two frontline air bases.He has also served in senior positions at Air Headquarters and the Integrated Defence Staff.