Courtesy: Wikipedia
Ayodhya News: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has named retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as its first chief executive officer, according to an official post by the Trust’s X handle and reports by India Today, The Times of India, India TV and other outlets on Wednesday, 2 September 2026.
The decision was taken at a Trust meeting in Ayodhya. Mishra, who headed the Indian Air Force’s Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor and retired in April 2026, emerges after a two-month search that began with 5,585 applications.
The Times of India reported that Mishra said he first learnt of the appointment through news coverage and was still awaiting official communication from the Trust. Trust office-bearer Govind Dev Giri told the same newspaper that the standard operating procedure for the CEO’s appointment and functioning had not yet been finalised.
Who is Jeetendra Mishra, and why does his record matter?
Mishra was commissioned as a fighter pilot on 6 December 1986 and served for more than 38 years, India Today and India TV reported. He is described as a fighter combat leader and experimental test pilot with over 3,000 flying hours.
He took charge of Western Air Command in January 2025 and led that formation during Operation Sindoor in May 2025, according to multiple accounts. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal on him for distinguished service linked to that operation, The Times of India reported. He also holds the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.
He belongs to Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh. The Times of India placed his native village, Bhopatpura, roughly three hours by road from Ayodhya, and said his father was a lecturer.
How did the Trust choose its first CEO?
A three-member search committee was set up on 6 July 2026 under retired Justice Pramod Kohli, with retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and scientist Suresh Haware as members, according to PTI-sourced reporting and later Trust process notes.
Applications closed in mid-July. After screening and online interactions, 16 candidates met the panel face to face in Ayodhya on 11 and 12 August, The Times of India reported. On 1 September the committee submitted a panel of three names. On 2 September the Trust selected Mishra.
The same day’s business also included three new trustees: Delhi-based Mahesh Bhagchandka, Ayodhya’s Madan Mohan Pandey and Shikohabad’s Nirmala Yadav, India TV and The Times of India reported.
Why create a CEO post now, after the donation row?
The CEO role follows months of scrutiny over alleged irregularities in temple donations. Champat Rai, then general secretary, and trustee Anil Mishra resigned in late June 2026 after arrests in a theft case. The Trust accepted those resignations in early July, The Hindu reported, citing Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri speaking to PTI.
Outlets say the Trust is amending its deed to define the CEO’s statutory, administrative and financial duties, including systems for offerings, pilgrim services, staff coordination and compliance. India Today reported that the Trust welcomed a Supreme Court order widening the SIT inquiry’s scope and discussed ways to cut human involvement in counting cash offerings.
Nripendra Mishra, chairman of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee, has previously described a full-time CEO as critical to professional administration and transparency, India Today noted. Reports say the CEO is expected to work without government interference and report within the Trust’s own structure, though the exact reporting line is still being set out.
What remains open is as important as what is announced. Remuneration, powers and the moment Mishra formally takes charge are still being worked through. Office-bearer changes beyond the CEO and the three new trustees are described differently across outlets and should be treated as developing.
For devotees and for the Trust’s critics alike, the test will not be the title on a press note. It will be whether day-to-day controls, accounts and pilgrim management become clearer in the months ahead.
