Air Marshal (retd.) Jeetendra Mishra named first CEO of Ram Temple trust

The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has appointed Air Marshal (retd.) Jeetendra Mishra as its first Chief Executive Officer. The announcement was made on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, according to officials.

Air Marshal (retd.) Mishra previously served as the head of the Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor. His selection follows a rigorous recruitment process that saw 5,585 applications, from which a shortlist of three candidates was drawn. The search committee, led by retired Justice Pramod Kohli, also included retired Lt Gen Vishnukant Chaturvedi and former scientist Suresh Haware. The committee's final report was submitted to Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri on Tuesday.

Committee secretary Sameer Panda stated that the panel recommended three highly qualified professionals after evaluating their leadership skills, management expertise, integrity, and vision.

Speaking about his appointment, Air Marshal (retd.) Mishra revealed that he was not informed of the decision beforehand and learned of his selection through news reports.

The appointment comes at a critical time for the Trust, which has been dealing with the fallout of an alleged embezzlement scandal involving temple donations. The controversy led to the arrest of eight individuals and the resignation of Champat Rai from his position as general secretary.