The race to become the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has entered a crucial phase, with interviews of shortlisted candidates beginning in Ayodhya on Tuesday.
Among those appearing for the high-profile post are former Uttar Pradesh IPS officer Rajesh Pandey, known for his reputation as an “encounter specialist”, and former Ayodhya District Magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra. The selection committee will eventually recommend three names to the Ram Mandir Trust, which will take the final decision on the appointment.
The CEO appointment assumes significance as the Ram Mandir administration undergoes a major restructuring aimed at making the temple’s functioning more professional, transparent and institutionally accountable.
Over 5,300 applications, 18 shortlisted
The Trust had received more than 5,300 applications from across the country for the newly created CEO position. After scrutiny, 18 candidates have been shortlisted for the interview stage.
The four-day interview process began on August 11. On the first day, former Ayodhya DM Yogeshwar Ram Mishra appeared before the selection committee. Former IPS officer Rajesh Pandey is also among the candidates whose interviews are being conducted during the process.
The identities of most of the 18 shortlisted candidates have not been made public.
The selection committee is conducting detailed interviews lasting between one and two hours. Candidates are being assessed not merely on their administrative experience but also on their previous responsibilities, leadership capabilities, institutional-management experience and personal background.
From police operations to temple administration
Rajesh Pandey's presence in the race has attracted particular attention because of his background in the Uttar Pradesh Police. In his career, he was associated with high-intensity policing operations and encounters against organised crime, which earned him a reputation as an “encounter specialist”. His candidature brings a strong law-and-order and field-administration perspective into the competition for the temple's top executive position.
Former Ayodhya DM Yogeshwar Ram Mishra, meanwhile, brings direct experience of administering Ayodhya and dealing with the city's unique combination of religious tourism, local administration, security and large-scale pilgrim management. During his tenure, he was responsible for coordinating district-level governance, maintaining law and order, and managing arrangements related to major religious gatherings and public movement in the region.
Their inclusion highlights the kind of administrative experience that could prove valuable for a temple that now has to manage an increasingly complex ecosystem involving devotees, security agencies, local administration, finances, infrastructure and multiple stakeholders.
Army experience is part of the selection architecture
The selection process itself is being overseen by a three-member committee comprising retired Justice Pramod Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and administrator-industrialist Suresh Haware.
Chaturvedi's presence is particularly significant given the importance being attached to organisational discipline, security and large-scale operational management. The committee therefore brings together judicial, military and institutional-management experience.
The Trust had deliberately kept the eligibility criteria broad. Candidates could come from the administrative services, police, armed forces, corporate sector or other fields, provided they possessed the required experience and qualifications.
What will the new CEO handle?
The CEO will effectively become the principal executive authority responsible for the day-to-day administrative functioning of the Ram Mandir Trust. The role will require overseeing a wide range of operational, financial and coordination-related responsibilities essential for the smooth functioning of the temple complex.
The responsibilities are expected to include managing temple administration and daily operations, coordinating with government departments and local administration, and ensuring smooth arrangements for the large influx of devotees. The CEO will also be responsible for overseeing financial systems, maintaining transparency in administrative processes, and ensuring accountability across all levels of functioning.
In addition, the role will involve coordinating between different committees and agencies associated with the temple, managing personnel and organisational resources, and supervising infrastructure and development-related work. A key part of the job will also be improving facilities and services for devotees while ensuring efficient crowd management and security arrangements.
The selection committee had earlier emphasised that the candidate should combine administrative competence with integrity, leadership ability and an understanding of the religious and cultural significance of the temple.
Three names will go to the Trust
The current interview process will not directly result in the appointment of the CEO.
The three-member committee will first evaluate the 18 shortlisted candidates and prepare a panel of three names. This panel will then be forwarded to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
The Trust will subsequently conduct its own assessment/interactions with the shortlisted candidates before selecting one person for the post.
According to the sources, the final announcement is expected around the Trust's proposed September 2 meeting.
Appointment comes amid administrative overhaul
The creation of the CEO post comes against the backdrop of a wider effort to strengthen the administrative structure of the Ram Mandir Trust.
The Trust decided to create the post following controversies surrounding the management of donations and offerings at the temple. The move was also driven by the increasing scale of temple operations as the number of devotees visiting Ayodhya continues to grow.
Earlier, the Trust had constituted the three-member search committee to identify a suitable candidate. The committee was tasked with scrutinising applications, conducting interviews and recommending three names to the Trust.
A job unlike a conventional CEO post
The Ram Mandir CEO position is unusual because it combines the responsibilities of a senior administrator with the management of one of India's most important religious institutions.
The successful candidate will have to balance several competing requirements — efficient administration, financial oversight, security, crowd management, coordination with government agencies and, crucially, the expectations of millions of devotees.
The selection committee has therefore indicated that professional competence alone will not be enough. Integrity, leadership, institutional experience and an understanding of the temple's religious significance are also expected to play a major role in the final selection.
With 18 candidates now facing the interview panel, three names set to be recommended and one eventually chosen, the process has entered its decisive stage. The appointment will establish the first formal CEO-led administrative structure for the Ram Mandir Trust and could significantly reshape how the temple is managed in the years ahead.
