Ayodhya, September 1: The path is nearly clear for the appointment of the first full-time Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the management and operation of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. A search committee tasked with selecting the CEO has sifted through 5,585 applications and conducted multiple rounds of evaluations, ultimately preparing a panel of three qualified candidates. This panel was submitted to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Tuesday.
A crucial meeting of the Trust is scheduled for Wednesday, September 2, where the panel will be discussed, and the final decision on the CEO’s appointment is expected to be announced. The search committee members presented their final report to the Trust’s treasurer, Sant Govindadev Giri, and general secretary, Krishna Mohan, in the meeting hall of the Green House located within the Ram Janmabhoomi complex. This submission marks the conclusion of a nearly two-month-long selection process for the CEO.
Treasurer Sant Govindadev Giri praised the efforts of the selection committee, stating that guidance was sought to find a capable CEO for the effective management of such a large and globally renowned temple. He noted that after multiple levels of screening, the committee conducted direct interviews with 16 candidates and has now submitted its report to the Trust.
He clarified that the Trust officials will consider the contents of the report in private, and the final decision will be made by the Trust board. Sources indicate that the committee shortlisted 16 candidates after a technical and manual screening of the initial 5,585 applications. Detailed interviews with these 16 candidates were conducted in Ayodhya on August 11 and 12. The final panel was prepared based on evaluations of qualifications, experience, leadership skills, management capabilities, and set standards.
The selection committee included retired Justice Pramod Kohli, retired Lieutenant General V.K. Chaturvedi, and former nuclear scientist Dr. Suresh Haware. This committee, with extensive experience in the judiciary, defense, and scientific fields, adopted a multi-tiered selection process considering the candidates’ capabilities and institutional needs. According to the committee’s report, to maintain a technically competent and transparent selection process, teams conducted parallel screenings and evaluations in Delhi-NCR, Pune, and Sambalpur, Odisha. Both technical screening and manual assessment were incorporated into the process.
Sant Govindadev Giri mentioned that during the selection process, the initial pool of approximately 5,500 applications was narrowed down to 3,000, then to 1,500, and finally to 300 candidates. The last phase involved direct interviews with 16 candidates in Ayodhya. He emphasized that committee members took the process seriously, conducting personal interviews throughout the day. The search for the first full-time CEO of the Ram Temple began with the formation of the search committee on July 6, 2026. The committee’s first meeting on July 11 established the selection process and eligibility criteria.
Samir Panda was appointed as the committee secretary on July 14, and the application process closed on July 18. The remaining days of July were spent reviewing and evaluating the applications received. An online dialogue process took place from August 3 to 6. Following this, detailed discussions with the final 16 candidates occurred on August 11 and 12. After the final evaluations, the panel of three names was prepared and submitted to the Trust.
With the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple completed, the role of the CEO is now considered crucial for managing the temple complex’s expansion, handling the increasing number of devotees, overseeing various projects, and coordinating religious and institutional efforts both domestically and internationally. The first full-time CEO appointed by the Trust will bear significant responsibilities in organizing the growing institutional obligations associated with the temple. Samir Panda, the secretary of the search committee, stated that a panel of three highly qualified candidates has been submitted to the Trust based on comprehensive evaluations.
The committee aimed to keep the selection process merit-based, transparent, and aligned with high standards of institutional excellence. All eyes are now on the meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on September 2, where the final report of the search committee and the panel of three names will be discussed. Following the Trust’s approval, an official announcement regarding the appointment of the Ram Temple’s first full-time CEO is anticipated.
Sant Govindadev Giri expressed gratitude to the committee members, Justice Pramod Kohli, Lieutenant General V.K. Chaturvedi, and Dr. Suresh Haware, for their hard work in completing this process. He also thanked Samir Panda for his coordination efforts. Other officials present included Trust treasurer Sant Govindadev Giri, trustee Sant Dinendra Das, general secretary Krishna Mohan, Ayodhya District Magistrate Sharad Tripathi, special invitee Dinesh Ji, secretary Jagdish Afale, Jagannath Gupt, and Bajrang Bagda.
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