Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust Appoints Retired Air Marshal as First CEO

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has appointed retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as its first Chief Executive Officer, a decision made during a meeting in Ayodhya on Wednesday. The appointment follows a months-long selection process and comes as the trust seeks to strengthen its administrative leadership amid recent controversies. Mishra, who retired from the Indian Air Force on April 30, 2026, brings nearly four decades of military experience to the role. He served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command from January 1, 2025, until his retirement, a period during which he commanded the air operations for Operation Sindoor in May 2025. For his role in that operation, he was among a select group of officers awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, a rare honour for exceptional operational planning. Over his career, he accumulated more than 3,000 flying hours across over 18 types of aircraft. The trust's decision was announced by its interim general secretary, Krishna Mohan, following a meeting attended by senior members including trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri.