Kumar Bahukhandi
Retired Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra, who commanded the Indian Air Force’s Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor, has been appointed the first full-time Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya. (Photo: Arrangements )
Retired Air Marshal chosen from more than 5,500 applicants as Ayodhya Trust strengthens professional administration; three new trustees inducted and key responsibilities reshuffled
Key Highlights
- Retired Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra appointed the first full-time CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
- Mishra commanded the IAF’s Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor.
- More than 5,500 applications were considered during an extensive selection process.
- Mahesh Bhagchandka, Madan Mohan Pandey and Nirmala Yadav inducted as trustees.
- Mahesh Bhagchandka takes charge as treasurer, while Swami Govind Dev Giri assumes the role of general secretary.
- The administrative restructuring follows scrutiny over alleged irregularities in temple donations.
Ayodhya: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, appointed retired Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra as its first full-time Chief Executive Officer, bringing a former senior Indian Air Force commander into the top executive position overseeing the expanding administration of the Ram Temple.
Mishra’s appointment is significant not only because he becomes the Trust’s first CEO, but also because of the military and administrative experience he brings to Ayodhya. He retired from the Indian Air Force on April 30 this year after nearly four decades of service and had served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Trust at Maniram Das Chhawani in Ayodhya.
From Air Command to Temple Administration
The appointment follows an extensive search for a professional administrator. Around 5,585 applications were assessed before candidates were progressively shortlisted through scrutiny, online interactions and interviews. Mishra eventually emerged from a final panel of three candidates.
His new responsibilities will be markedly different from commanding an operational formation, but will draw on many of the same organisational skills. As CEO, Mishra will oversee the Trust’s administration, personnel, operational systems and regulatory compliance as the Ram Temple moves from the construction phase towards management as a major religious institution receiving large numbers of devotees.
The appointment comes at a sensitive time for the Trust, which has faced increased scrutiny following allegations concerning irregularities and embezzlement in the handling of temple donations. The restructuring is intended to strengthen professional management, transparency and accountability.
Mishra brings extensive operational experience to the assignment. Besides commanding Western Air Command, he has served in several senior leadership positions in the Indian Air Force and is a decorated officer.
Three New Trustees Join Board
The Trust also inducted Mahesh Bhagchandka, Madan Mohan Pandey and Nirmala Yadav as new trustees.
Bhagchandka, a Delhi-based businessman and philanthropist, has been associated with activities connected with the Ram Temple and has now been entrusted with the responsibility of treasurer.
Pandey is a senior advocate from Ayodhya and served as Additional Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh. He was associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi litigation for several years.
Yadav, an academic and former college principal, becomes a notable addition to the governing body as its first woman trustee.
The Trust has also reorganised key responsibilities, with Swami Govind Dev Giri taking charge as general secretary.
The appointment of a former senior military commander as the first full-time CEO signals a broader change in the way the Ram Temple’s increasingly complex affairs are to be administered.
With the temple attracting devotees on a massive scale and managing substantial financial resources, infrastructure, security and associated projects, the Trust is moving towards a more clearly defined professional management structure.
For Jitendra Mishra, the appointment marks an unusual transition — from commanding one of the Indian Air Force’s most strategically important formations during Operation Sindoor to overseeing the administration of one of India’s most prominent religious institutions.
