The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has appointed Air Marshal (retd) Jeetendra Mishra as its first full-time Chief Executive Officer. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Trust in Ayodhya on September 2, 2026.
Mishra, who headed the Indian Air Force’s Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor, was selected from a shortlist of three candidates after a selection committee scrutinised approximately 5,585 applications. The other shortlisted candidates were Major General Sanjay Pratap Singh Bisht and Shruti Hardwari.
A native of Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh, Mishra served in the IAF for nearly four decades. He was commissioned as a fighter pilot in December 1986, logged more than 3,000 flying hours, and held senior positions including Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) before taking charge of Western Air Command. He retired on April 30, 2026, and has received decorations including the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal for his role in Operation Sindoor.
The appointment comes amid efforts to strengthen the Trust’s administrative structure following allegations related to donation collections that led to resignations of some earlier office-bearers. As CEO, Mishra is expected to oversee day-to-day operations, including security, logistics, crowd management, and financial oversight.
The Trust also filled three vacant trustee positions and appointed Govind Dev Giri as general secretary and Mahesh Bhagchandka as treasurer.
