The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has appointed retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as its first full-time Chief Executive Officer, bringing a former senior Indian Air Force commander into a newly created administrative role at the Ram Mandir.
The appointment was made on 2 September 2026, after a selection process that began with 5,585 applications. Mishra, who served for more than 38 years in the IAF and commanded the Western Air Command, was also the senior commander of the formation during Operation Sindoor.
But why did the Trust create a CEO post, and what made Mishra the preferred candidate?
Who Is Jeetendra Mishra?
Jeetendra Mishra was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on 6 December 1986.
According to the Ministry of Defence, he served for more than 38 years and accumulated over 3,000 hours of flying experience. He was a Fighter Combat Leader and an experimental Test Pilot, and held a series of command and staff appointments during his career.
Mishra is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy in Pune, the Air Force Test Pilots School in Bengaluru, the Air Command and Staff College in the US and the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK.
His previous appointments included commanding a fighter squadron, serving as Chief Test Pilot at the Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment, commanding frontline air bases and holding senior positions at Air Headquarters.
Before taking charge of the Western Air Command, he was the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations).
Mishra assumed command of the IAF's Western Air Command on 1 January 2025. He retired from the Air Force on 30 April 2026.
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What Was His Connection To Operation Sindoor?
Mishra was heading the Western Air Command when India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025, following the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.
The Western Air Command played a significant role in the operation, and Mishra was the senior commander heading the command at the time.
His service during the operation was later recognised with the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal.
Importantly, the medal was conferred on 29 June 2026, during Defence Investiture Ceremony-II at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Ministry of Defence's official list of awardees names Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra among the recipients of the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal.
That distinction matters because the medal was approved in 2025, but Mishra received it formally in June 2026.
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Why Did The Ram Mandir Trust Need A CEO?
The CEO position was newly created in July 2026. There had never been a CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust before Mishra.
On 6 July, the Trust decided to create the post and set up a three-member search committee to identify a candidate. The move came as the Trust faced growing administrative responsibilities around the Ram Mandir and scrutiny following allegations of irregularities involving temple donations.
The donation controversy was therefore part of the wider context, rather than the sole stated reason for creating the post.
The Trust wanted a dedicated professional to oversee its day-to-day administration and growing operational requirements. The recruitment criteria sought candidates with at least 20 years of managerial experience, while experience as a chief administrative officer or in managing a temple or Hindu religious institution was listed as desirable.
In effect, the CEO role creates a full-time executive layer for the administration of the temple complex and its expanding activities.
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How Was Jeetendra Mishra Selected?
Mishra was chosen after a lengthy selection process.
The Trust received 5,585 applications for the CEO position.
After scrutiny, 1,580 applicants were found eligible and suitable. The process then moved to online interactions involving 108 candidates.
The field was subsequently reduced to 16 finalists, who took part in face-to-face interactions in Ayodhya on 11 and 12 August.
The search committee submitted its final report to the Trust on 1 September, along with a panel of three recommended candidates.
The Trust selected Mishra the following day, on 2 September.
The other two candidates on the final panel were reported as Major General Sanjay Pratap Singh Bisht and Shruti Hardwari.
The search committee was headed by retired Justice Pramod Kohli and included retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and scientist Suresh Haware.
The process therefore involved thousands of applications before the Trust arrived at a three-person final panel.
Why Choose A Retired Air Marshal?
The Trust has not publicly stated that Mishra was chosen because of one single qualification.
However, his professional background closely matches several of the requirements associated with the new role.
Mishra spent more than 38 years in an organisation involving large-scale personnel management, operational planning, logistics, coordination and strict administrative structures.
He also served in senior command positions, including as the head of the Western Air Command. The Ministry of Defence's record of his career shows a combination of operational, testing, command and staff experience.
That background is relevant to a CEO position intended to strengthen the administration of a large and increasingly complex institution.
His selection also followed a competitive process rather than an appointment made directly from within the existing Trust structure.
What Will Jeetendra Mishra Do As CEO?
As CEO, Mishra will oversee the Trust's administrative and operational functioning, including the systems and coordination required to manage the expanding activities of the temple complex.
The role will require him to work with the Trust's trustees and other stakeholders while translating his experience in large-scale organisational management to the very different setting of a religious institution.
What Happens Next?
Mishra's appointment marks a new administrative phase for the Ram Mandir Trust.
His military career gives him experience in leadership, planning and managing complex organisations. His new challenge will be to apply those skills to the administration of a major religious institution whose responsibilities continue to expand.
Crucially, he is not taking over from another CEO. He is the first person to hold a position the Trust created only this year.
TL;DR | News At a Glance
Who is Jeetendra Mishra?
Retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra is a former Indian Air Force fighter pilot who served for nearly four decades.
What is his new role?
He is the first full-time CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which oversees the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
What was his previous major posting?
He served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the IAF’s Western Air Command and led the command during Operation Sindoor.
Why was he chosen?
The selection committee highlighted his leadership, discipline and management experience. The selection process also considered candidates from the armed forces for their organisational experience and relative neutrality in Ayodhya.
Why was a CEO post created?
The Trust created the position in July 2026 to strengthen professional administration, operations and oversight amid the temple’s expanding responsibilities and the controversy surrounding alleged donation irregularities.
Was there a CEO before Mishra?
No. Mishra is the first full-time CEO of the Trust.
