Op Sindoor to Ram Temple trust's first CEO: Who is Jeetendra Mishra?

The decorated former IAF officer will be expected to bring professional administration, financial discipline and accountability to the Ayodhya Ram Temple's operationsThe Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust has taken a major step towards giving the administration and operations of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya a more professional structure in the backdrop of the donation pilferage allegations under probe. The trust has appointed as its first full-time chief executive officer (CEO) Air Marshal (retired) Jeetendra Mishra, one of the military officers critically involved in Operation Sindoor.After a selection process that lasted over two months, Mishra’s appointment was approved unanimously at a meeting of the temple trust in Ayodhya on September 2. Mishra, 60, retired in April as the air officer commanding-in-chief of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Western Air Command.The selection process for the first CEO of the Ram Temple trust was extensive. The trust received around 5,585 applications. After screening, 111 candidates were shortlisted for online interviews. Subsequently, 16 candidates were called to Ayodhya for face-to-face interviews. Three names were then shortlisted and placed before the trust.The selection committee comprised retired Justice Pramod Kohli, lieutenant general (retired) V.K. Chaturvedi and nuclear scientist Suresh Haware. The committee submitted its recommendations to the trust’s chairman Nritya Gopal Das. From Uttar Pradesh village to IAF highsMishra hails from Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh. Born in Bhopatpura village in Bhatpar Rani area, he built a long and distinguished career in the IAF. He was commissioned as a fighter pilot on December 6, 1986 and served for nearly four decades in a range of command and staff appointments.Mishra served as a fighter combat leader and experimental test pilot and has more than 3,000 hours of flying experience. His professional training was equally extensive. He trained at the National Defence Academy in Pune and the IAF Test Pilots School in Bengaluru. He also attended the Air Command and Staff College in the United States and the Royal College of Defence Studies in London.Mishra’s expertise included operational planning, testing, organisation, training and the management of large military establishments. He served as the commanding officer of a fighter squadron and later held the position of air officer commanding at two frontline IAF bases. At the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment in Bengaluru, he was chief test pilot and subsequently its commandant.At the Air Headquarters, he held key positions, including director of the Operational Planning and Assessment Group, principal director (air staff requirements) and assistant chief of air staff (projects). He subsequently served as deputy chief in the Integrated Defence Staff, handling responsibilities related to doctrine, organisation and training, as well as operations.The final and one of the most-significant phases of Mishra’s military career was his tenure with the Western Air Command, one of the IAF’s most-critical operational commands. On January 1, 2025, he took over as air officer commanding-in-chief and held the position until retirement on April 30 this year.Operation Sindoor limelightMishra came into wider national focus by leading the Western Air Command during the Indian military’s Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May 2025. He was among the key commanders involved in the operation. In recognition of his contributions to the operation, he was awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal.What makes Mishra’s military career particularly significant is his experience at the top levels of operational command, wherein decision-making, risk assessment and coordination across multiple levels were critical. That experience will now come into play in a very different setting in Ayodhya. The challenge here will be very different: efficiently executing the Ram Temple trust CEO’s duties to ensure management of the daily throng of devotees to the temple, security of the complex and overseeing of financial processes.Temple affairs get professionalThe timing of Mishra’s appointment is significant because allegations concerning donations and financial irregularities have raised questions of accountability. A full-time CEO is expected to bring greater professionalism to the temple trust’s administration.“The role of the CEO will not be limited to overseeing day-to-day operations,” said an Ayodhya administration official. “As the organisation (temple trust) expands, one of the key responsibilities will be to establish clear procedures for legal, administrative and financial matters, besides developing institutional systems and implementing long-term plans.”For Mishra, one of the challenges could be to adapt the discipline and decision-making skills he acquired in his military career to the sensitivities of a religious institution. The Ram Temple is a major centre of faith for millions of people. Administering it involves management of a complex ecosystem involving devotees, employees, security agencies, government departments, local administration and religious stakeholders. But with a decorated retired military officer as the temple trust’s CEO, a significant transition awaits one of India’s most-prominent pilgrimage centres.Temple trust in overhaulAt the September 2 meeting, the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra also appointed three trustees to fill vacant positions: Mahesh Bhagchandka, Madan Mohan Pandey and Dr Nirmala Yadav. The meeting also saw changes in the responsibilities of office-bearers. Swami Govind Dev Giri will now be general secretary while Bhagchandka will be treasurer.Bhagchandka, 68, is a businessman and social worker based in New Delhi. He is author of Hindutva ke Purodha, a book on the late Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) veteran Ashok Singhal. He is also a member of the executive committee of the World Hindu Economic Forum.Pandey, 74, is an advocate. From 1990 to 2019, he had represented Shri Ram Lalla Virajman and Mahant Ramchandra Paramhans in the Ram Janmabhoomi case before the high court and the Supreme Court. He also served as additional advocate general of Uttar Pradesh for six years.Yadav, 66, holds postgraduate degrees in Hindi and Sanskrit and a PhD. She served as the principal of a college for 19 years and was also member of a university executive council for 15 years.At the temple trust meeting, the annual accounts for the financial year 2025-26 were also presented. According to the accounts, which were approved by the trustee board, the trust recorded a total income of Rs 237 crore while its total expenditure stood at Rs 91 crore. Rs 425 crore was the capital expenditure on temple construction and other construction works. As on March 31, 2026, the trust had Rs 1,882 crore available as funds. Subscribe to India Today Magazine- EndsPublished By: Yashwardhan SinghPublished On: Sep 2, 2026 20:15 IST