Ayodhya (UP), Sep 2: Air Marshal (retd) Jeetendra Mishra, who headed the Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor, was on Wednesday appointed the first CEO of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust that oversees the management and operations of the Ram temple, trust officials said.
Mishra’s name was selected from a shortlist of three candidates picked from 5,585 applications.
The appointment of the 62-year-old comes in the wake of the controversy over the alleged embezzlement of temple donations that led to the arrest of eight people and the resignation of Champat Rai as general secretary.
The search committee was headed by retired Justice Pramod Kohli and comprised retired Lt Gen Vishnukant Chaturvedi and former scientist Suresh Haware. It submitted its final report to trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri on Tuesday.
Committee secretary Sameer Panda said the panel had recommended “three highly qualified professionals” after assessing their leadership, management expertise, integrity and vision.
This was the third meeting of the trust since the alleged donation theft came to light.
The CEO selection process involved AI-assisted screening as well as manual assessment, trust officials said. Of the 5,585 applications received, 3,577 candidates submitted details for evaluation under a 600-mark framework. The process subsequently narrowed to 108 candidates who scored 470 marks or more for virtual interactions, followed by 16 candidates being interviewed in person in Ayodhya on August 11 and 12.
Mishra, who belongs to Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh, was awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal for his role in Operation Sindoor. He was also awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal during his long military career, according to a statement.
A fighter pilot commissioned into the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986, Mishra served for more than 39 years before retiring on April 30, 2026.
As head of the Western Air Command, he was responsible for one of the IAF’s key operational commands during Operation Sindoor, adding an operational dimension to his long record of command, flying, testing and strategic assignments, a statement said.
He 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.
During his career, which included more than 3,000 hours of flying, he commanded a fighter squadron and two frontline air bases. He also served as commandant of the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE).
Mishra also held several senior appointments at the Air Headquarters, including director of the Operational Planning and Assessment Group. Before taking charge of the Western Air Command on January 1, 2025, he served as deputy chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations).
