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| Left to Right ,Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra (retd), Madan Mohan Pandey, Mahesh Bhagchandka, Swami Govind Dev Giri and Dr Nirmala Yadav. |
Lucknow : The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which oversees the Ram temple complex in Ayodhya, is undergoing a significant leadership overhaul following allegations of lapses in supervision and theft of donations at the temple.
On Wednesday, September 2, 2026, a new team was appointed to run the Ram temple trust that brings together a mix of military experience, religious involvement, legal expertise, business acumen, with the trust seeking to strengthen its administration and improve facilities for the millions of devotees visiting the shrine.Among the key appointments is retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, a decorated Indian Air Force officer and one of the planners of Operation Sindoor, who has been named the trust's first chief executive officer.
The reshuffle also brings in Delhi-based businessman and philanthropist Mahesh Bhagchandka as treasurer and trustee, and veteran Ayodhya lawyer Madan Mohan Pandey and Dr Nirmala Yadav as the other two trustees.
The New CEO: Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra (retd)
Retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra was among the planners of Operation Sindoor and received the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal for his role in the four-day war with Pakistan in 2025. He is an experienced air fighter pilot, and retired on April 30 as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command. He has held several senior command and staff positions, including commandant of the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment and deputy chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations). Air Marshal Mishra was selected from a shortlist of three candidates after the trust's selection committee scrutinised 5,585 applications. 'A few months after I retired,' Air Marshal Mishra told the Hindustan Times newspaper, 'I got this opportunity to serve the Shri Ram temple and the Ram Bhakts. I think there cannot be anybody more fortunate than me.' The IAF veteran hails from Bhopatpura village in Bhatpar Rani tehsil of Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh.
His father Nathuni Mishra was a teacher. His younger brother Dr Devendra Mishra is a doctor in Delhi and his sister Vandana Mishra is a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University. His elder son Shantanu, who has a BTech degree, is preparing for the civil services examination in Delhi; his younger son Sharanya, who has completed a PhD in London, works there.
Madan Mohan Pandey: Focus on Supervision and Devotee Facilities
The 74-year-old Ayodhya-based advocate represented Ram Lalla Virajman and the late Mahant Ramchadra Paramhans Da in the Ram Janambhoomi title dispute from the early 1990s till the final Supreme Court verdict in 2019. While taking his position as one of the trustees of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Pandey acknowledged that there had been a lack of supervision and said efforts would be made to strengthen the system. Highlighting the importance of facilities at the temple, Pandey said adequate amenities should be ensured for pilgrims and visitors. 'Ensure there are amenities for travellers and convenience for the devotees at the temple. As long as there are no issues, what else is needed? There are plenty of facilities, and they will continue to be provided,' Pandey said.
Mahesh Bhagchandka: Treasurer with Business Acumen
The new treasurer is a Delhi-based businessman, philanthropist and author. He is also a relative of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal, who played a leading role in the Ram temple movement, and also authored Singhal's autobiography. Bhagchandka is the chairman and managing director of the M2K Group whose web site says: 'Over the years, M2K has built a rock-solid foundation in the field of Infrastructure, Real Estate, Multiplexes, Biologicals and M2K Technologies and is firmly committed to excellence in everything it does.'
Swami Govind Dev Giri: The New General Secretary
Swami Govind Dev Giri succeeds Champat Rai who resigned after allegations of financial wrongdoings embroiled the trust. Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, earlier known as Acharya Kishoreji Madangopal Vyas, was born on January 25, 1949, in Belapur village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district. He completed his primary schooling in his village before joining Tatvagyan Vidyapeeth, an institution founded by Pandurang Shastri Athavale, who pioneered the socio-religious movement, Swadhyay.
Nirmala Yadav: First Woman Trustee
The first woman to be appointed to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust served as principal of the Mahatma Gandhi Girls PG College in Firozabad from 2016 to 2021. She has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh since 1974 and actively participated in the Ram temple movement. Her father worked in the police department; her husband S K Yadav served as a brigadier and was a former state-level RSS functionary.
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