Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust to Appoint First CEO Amid 1,000 Applications

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya has opened applications for its inaugural Chief Executive Officer, drawing more than 1,000 candidates from across India. The deadline for submissions is 4 p.m. on July 18, after which a three‑member expert panel will review the entries and recommend up to three names for the Trust’s final decision.

The recruitment follows allegations of misappropriation of donations at the Ram Mandir, prompting an administrative overhaul. The CEO, who will serve an initial three‑year term, will oversee daily operations, finances, security, pilgrim services, legal compliance and the protection of Trust assets. Applicants must be practising Hindus aged 50‑70 with at least 20 years of senior leadership experience in a large public or private organisation. Retired bureaucrats, including former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, dominate the applicant pool. The selection committee includes retired Supreme Court Justice Pramod Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and former NIT Raipur chairperson Suresh Haware. "There is certainly a huge response," a senior Trust official told PTI.