Ram Temple Trust Names Former Air Marshal as First CEO, Adds Three Members
The Ram Temple Trust has appointed Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra as its first CEO, selecting him from over 5,500 applicants. Three new members were also added.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has appointed Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra as its first chief executive officer, a move aimed at strengthening management and financial accountability after a donation theft scandal earlier this year.
Mishra, who served in the Indian Air Force for over 38 years, was chosen from a pool of 5,585 applicants. The selection process, conducted by a panel headed by retired judge Pramod Kohli, included a 600-mark evaluation framework and final interviews of 16 candidates in Ayodhya on August 11 and 12.
A fighter pilot commissioned in December 1986, Mishra retired in May 2026 as chief of the Air Force's Western Command. His career included roles as a test pilot, commanding officer of a fighter squadron, and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Force Test Pilots School, and the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK. He has been decorated with the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal.
The trust has also inducted three new members: Madan Mohan Pandey from Ayodhya, Mahesh Bhagchandka from Delhi, and Nirmala Yadav from Shikohabad. The appointments follow the arrest of eight people linked to the counting of donations and the resignation of the trust's general secretary, Champat Rai.