Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Eight Former Officials Interviewed For Ram Mandir Trust CEO Post
Many people visit the Ram Mandir temple in Ayodhya, India.
The people who run the temple need a new boss, called a Chief Executive Officer, or CEO.
More than 5,300 people asked for the job.
The leaders picked 18 of them and invited them for interviews.
On the first day, eight people gave their interviews.
They included police officers, government leaders, and army officers.
One of them, Mr. Rajesh Pandey, was a police officer known for catching criminals.
Another, Mr. Yogeshwar Ram Mishra, used to be the district leader of Ayodhya, so he knows the city very well.
The interviewers want someone who can manage huge crowds of visitors and work with the government.
After the interviews, they will send three names to the temple trust, which will choose the final CEO.
Eight former senior officials—three former IAS officers, one former IPS officer, and four former military officers—appeared for interviews in Ayodhya on the first day of the selection process.
The interviews are for the first CEO post of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, with 18 candidates shortlisted from more than 5,300 applications received from across the country.
Prominent candidates include former IPS officer Rajesh Pandey, known as an "encounter specialist," and former Ayodhya District Magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra.
The three-member selection panel comprises former Justice Pramod Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi, and Suresh Haware, former chairman of the Shirdi Sai Baba Trust.
The committee will send three names to the Trust, which is expected to finalise the CEO selection at its proposed September 2 meeting.
- Who
- Candidates for the first CEO post of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, including former IPS officer Rajesh Pandey, former Ayodhya District Magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra, and other shortlisted former IAS and military officers; interviews conducted by Justice Pramod Kohli, Lt Gen (Retd) Vishnukant Chaturvedi, and Suresh Haware.
- What
- Interviews to appoint the Trust's first Chief Executive Officer, with 18 shortlisted candidates; three names will be forwarded to the Trust for the final selection.
- When
- First round of interviews held on Tuesday and reported on August 12, 2026; final selection is expected at the Trust's proposed September 2 meeting.
- Where
- Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- Why
- The Ram Mandir has grown from a construction project into a large religious and public institution with a substantially increased number of visiting devotees, requiring professional executive management.
- Position
- First Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust
- Applications received
- More than 5,300
- Candidates shortlisted
- 18
- Interviewed on first day
- 8 (three former IAS officers, one former IPS officer, four former military officers)
- Interview duration
- Around 1-2 hours per candidate
- Selection panel
- Former Justice Pramod Kohli, retired Lt Gen Vishnukant Chaturvedi, Suresh Haware
- Next step
- Three names to be sent to the Trust
- Expected final decision
- Proposed Trust meeting on September 2