New Appointments in Ram Mandir Trust

September 5, 2026

Devotees were deeply disheartened when allegations of the misappropriation of crores of rupees from the offerings at Ayodhya’s Shri Ram Mandir surfaced. Both the Central and Uttar Pradesh governments assured the public that the truth would be fully revealed. The ensuing investigation led to the arrest of eight individuals. Champat Rai, the General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, resigned from his post; however, a subsequent report exonerated him. Three months after the theft of offerings came to light, the government has introduced changes within the Trust. Air Marshal (Retd.) Jitendra Mishra has been appointed as the new CEO of the Trust.

Hailing from the Deoria region of Uttar Pradesh, Jitendra Mishra has proven his mettle, notably during ‘Operation Sindoor’. He became a fighter pilot in the Air Force in 1986 and possesses over 3,000 hours of flying experience. Mishra retired on April 30 of this year after 39 years of service. He was awarded the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal for his role in ‘Operation Sindoor’. He has been appointed as the first CEO, leveraging his outstanding credentials and extensive Air Force experience.

It is well known that the people of India hold soldiers in high regard; therefore, this government decision is expected to be welcomed. Notably, there were over 5,500 contenders for the CEO position; a shortlist of three was created, from which the final selection was made. Former General Secretary Champat Rai has not returned to the role; instead, Govind Dev Giri, who previously served as Treasurer, has been appointed as the new General Secretary.

Jitendra Mishra will now report directly to the General Secretary. We would like to offer one suggestion: Govind Dev Giri should be asked to reside in Ayodhya regularly to ensure good coordination with the new CEO. Previously, the Treasurer visited Ayodhya for only a few days each month; in our view, his permanent residence there would improve the situation. Additionally, three new trustees have been inducted. Among them is Mahesh Bhagchandka… One is a relative of Ashok Singhal; the second, Madan Mohan Pandey, served as the counsel for Ram Lalla in the Ayodhya Janmabhoomi case; and the third is Dr. Nirmala Yadav, a long-time associate of the Sangh who was highly active in the Ram Mandir campaign.