Retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra Appointed as First Full Time CEO of Ram Mandir Trust

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust appointed retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as the first full time Chief Executive Officer of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on Wednesday. Mishra was selected from a pool of 5,585 applicants through a process involving a three member selection committee. This committee included retired Justice Pramod Kohli, Lt Gen (retd) Vishnukant Chaturvedi, and nuclear scientist Dr Suresh Haware. The selection process utilized AI assisted screening and manual assessments, narrowing the field to 108 candidates for virtual interactions and finally 16 for in person interviews.

Mishra served in the Indian Air Force for nearly 40 years and retired on April 30, 2026. He previously commanded the Western Air Command from January 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026, where he led air operations during Operation Sindoor. For his role in that operation, he was awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal. His military career also included serving as a fighter combat leader and experimental test pilot, with over 3,000 flying hours across 18 aircraft types. During the Kargil conflict, he was part of a team that operationalized laser guided bombs for Mirage 2000 aircraft.

The appointment occurs following a controversy involving the alleged embezzlement of temple donations, which led to the arrest of eight people and the resignation of former general secretary Champat Rai in June. The Trust also announced other leadership changes: Govind Dev Giri was appointed as general secretary, and Mahesh Bhagchandka was named treasurer. Additionally, Madan Mohan Pandey, Mahesh Bhagchandka, and Dr Nirmala Yadav were inducted as new trustees.

As CEO, Mishra is tasked with developing operational practices and systems appropriate for the scale of the organization. He will serve as the highest executive authority responsible for the trust's staff and will ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements. The Trust also approved the first amendment to its deed since its creation in February 2020 to incorporate the powers and rules associated with the CEO position.