NEW DELHI: Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra: He commanded the skies during Operation Sindoor, for which he received the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal which is a different kind of decoration. It is given for running a war. It is the country’s highest award for distinguished service during conflict. The bar sits so high that in 46 years it has been awarded just ten times. Moreover, he is originally from Bhopathpura, Deoria district; which is just 3hrs drive from Ayodhya. He comes from a middle-class family, and his father was a Lecturer. In April 2026, he retired and is now available to serve Prabhu Shri Ram, after serving Bharat Mata.
PROCESS TIMELINE of CEO Ram Mandir
– 6 July 2026: Search Committee constituted. The Search Committee comprises Justice (Retd.) Shri Permod Kohli, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Shri V.K. Chaturvedi, PVSM, AVSM, SM, Veteran, and Nuclear Scientist Dr. Suresh Hawre. Their collective expertise spans Defence, Judiciary, and Administration, bringing diverse perspectives and institutional knowledge to the evaluation of candidates for this significant leadership role.
– 11 July 2026: First meeting; selection process and eligibility criteria finalised
– 14 July 2026: Shri Sameer Panda appointed as Secretary of the committee. He is an Industrialist and has a team to handle this kind of voluminous work.
– 18 July 2026: Applications closed; 5,585 applications received
– July 2026: Applications reviewed and evaluated and 1580 applications were found eligible and suitable.
– 3-6 August 2026: Online interactive sessions conducted with 108 applicants. They are top 7% of the eligible and suitable applicants.
– 11-12 August 2026: Face-to-face interactions held at Ayodhya with 16 finalists at Green House, Shri Ram Mandir.
– 1st September 2026: Search Committee handed over the *75 paged Report* and provided their recommendation of Panel of 3 members for CEO.
The appointment of Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra marks a pivotal chapter in the administrative governance of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Bringing decades of strategic operational expertise, disciplined leadership, and deep institutional experience from his military career, Air Marshal Mishra is positioned to manage the massive daily scale, security, and infrastructural expansion of the temple complex
