The around two-month-long selection process for the Ram Temple CEO has come to a standstill, with Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra being appointed as its first CEO from a long list of 5,585 applicants.
The appointment of Air Marshal Mishra has come as a surprise, as it is contrary to the general perception that a retired civil servant would be appointed to the post. So, the general question being asked is, who is this person?
Mishra is a war veteran known for his exceptional leadership who headed the Western Command of the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor. He had also played a crucial role during the Kargil War in 1999. He has held several commanding positions in the Indian Air Force.
He served as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) and commanding officer of a fighter squadron. He was also Chief Test Pilot at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) and Air Officer commanding two frontline air bases.
Besides, he served as Director (Operational Planning and Assessment Group), Principal Director (ASR), Commandant ASTE as well as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Doctrine, Organisation and Training).
Mishra has been a decorated Air Force officer, having received military honours such as the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (SYSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for his distinguished service.
Coming from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh, Air Marshal Mishra was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in December 1986 and retired from service in May 2026 after serving for over 38 years.
He has been an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Pune; Air Force Test Pilots School, Bangalore; Air Command and Staff College, USA; and the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK.
But it does not mean that Mishra will have a cakewalk as the first CEO of the Ram Temple, as he shoulders an onerous task of making the management and financial accountability of the temple robust, which had been hit by a debilitating donation theft controversy earlier this year.
Mishra’s appointment is part of the structural changes brought in by the Ram Temple Trust following the donation theft, with three new members being added to the trust. They are Madan Mohan Pandey from Ayodhya, Mahesh Bhagchandka from Delhi, and Nirmala Yadav from Shikohabad.
The need to appoint a professional at the helm of administration was felt after the theft of donations was unearthed in the temple complex.
The process of appointing a CEO began on July 6 with the formation of the search and selection committee comprising retired Supreme Court judge Justice Pramod Kohli, retired Lt Gen Vishnu Kant Chaturvedi, and retired nuclear scientist Suresh Haware, who earlier served as chairperson of Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust in Shirdi.
The trust had received 5,585 applications for the post. The applicants were evaluated based on a 600-mark framework. The final interviews of 16 candidates took place in Ayodhya on August 11 and 12, after which three candidates were shortlisted. They were evaluated on parameters like institutional leadership, management expertise, integrity, and vision required to head an institution of national and international significance.
This is how the long process of appointment was completed:
- July 6: CEO selection committee formed.
- July 11: The CEO Selection Committee held its first meeting, determining the selection process and eligibility criteria.
- July 14: Sameer Panda appointed secretary of the selection committee.
- July 18: Application process for CEO selection closes.
- July 19 to 31: The work of reviewing and evaluating the applications received for the post of CEO was completed.
- August 3 to 6: Online dialogue process continued.
- 11-12 August: Detailed interview process of the final 16 selected applicants completed at Ayodhya Teerth Kshetra.
- September 2: Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra appointed as CEO
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