What is the role of Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as the CEO of the Ram temple trust?

As the CEO of the Ram temple trust, Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra is responsible for developing systems and operational practices, managing current activities, and ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

Why was Jeetendra Mishra chosen as the CEO of the Ram temple trust?

Jeetendra Mishra was selected as CEO to restore public confidence in the trust amid controversy over embezzlement of donations, ensuring professional administration and transparency in its operations.

How many applications were received for the CEO position at the Ram temple trust?

The temple trust received 5,585 applications for the CEO position, from which three candidates were shortlisted for final consideration.

Retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, who led air ops in Op Sindoor, to head Ram temple trust | All you need to know

Air Marshal Mishra served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor.

Updated on: Sep 2, 2026, 18:03:03 IST

Reported by Pawan Dixit

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Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra (Retd) was on Wednesday named the first CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The decision was taken at a meeting attended by Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Swami Kamalnayan Das, interim general secretary Dr Krishna Mohan, trustee Mahant Dinendra Das and treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri, among others.

Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra (Retd) has been decorated with several military honours, including the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal. (File/@rashtrapatibhvn X)

There were 5,585 applications for the post, of which three candidates were shortlisted. Mishra was eventually selected to head the Trust.

Also read: Ram temple trust appoints retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as temple’s first CEO

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The appointment comes amid the controversy over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The alleged theft led to the arrest of eight people and the resignation of Champat Rai as general secretary in June.

Who is Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra (Retd)?

The appointment of a professional CEO is one of the steps taken by the temple Trust to regain public confidence. Born in Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh, Air Marshal Mishra served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor and directed air operations during the mission, ensuring air superiority. He was awarded the the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal for for his role in Operation Sindoor.

He retired from the Indian Air Force on April 30, 2026, after nearly 40 years of service. His career culminated with his appointment as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, from January 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026. Earlier, he served as Deputy Chief, Integrated Defence Staff (Operations). Mishra also held several senior appointments at the Air Headquarters, including director of the Operational Planning and Assessment Group.

Mishra is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Pune, the Air Force Test Pilots School, Bengaluru, the Air Command and Staff College in the US and the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK.

He was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986. An experimental test pilot and fighter combat leader, Mishra has logged more than 3,000 flying hours across over 18 aircraft types.

Apart from the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, Mishra was also awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal during his long military career.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pawan Dixit
Pawan Dixit, Assistant Editor, brings over 20 years of frontline reporting experience to the newsroom. A specialist on Uttar Pradesh politics and governance, he has reported from the ground across the state’s most consequential stories. He cut his teeth in eastern UP, spending 15 years covering the region. Based in Varanasi, he reported the 2012 UP Assembly polls and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections that reshaped the state’s political map. Moving to Lucknow in 2016, he has since led coverage of the 2017 and 2022 UP Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. His reporting tracks the BJP’s strategy, opposition moves, and voter sentiment across all 75 districts. Pawan has been a constant presence in Ayodhya since 2016. He reported the entire arc of the Ram Mandir movement — from the legal fight to the Supreme Court verdict, through temple construction, to the inauguration. He continues to track every development at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. On the state beat, he covers the BJP, the Industrial Development Department, and handles key outstation political assignments. He also reports major cases from the district court, Lucknow bench of the High Court, and the State Information Commission. Along with this, he also reports on NGT's important decisions related to UP. Known for sharp sourcing and clear analysis, Pawan connects politics, policy, infrastructure and faith — the forces driving UP today. He has reported developments in Ayodhya and Ram Mandir movement since 2016. The Supreme Court's Ram Mandir verdict, temple construction and the its opening have been reported by him. He reports all developments in Ayodhya and Ram Mandir Trust. He covers state BJP, Industrial development department, outstation political assignments, reports special cases from district court, high court and state information commissionRead More

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