Operation Sindoor Hero Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra Appointed as the First CEO of Ayodhya Ram Mandir

Ayodhya: Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Mishra, SYSM, AVSM, VSM is a retired officer of the Indian Air Force who served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Western Air Command from 1 January 2025 to 30 April 2026.

According to information available in the public domain, he was commissioned into the fighter stream on 6 December 1986 and retired after over 38 years of service. He has more than 3,000 flying hours on over 18 types of fighter, transport aircraft, and helicopters. He is a fighter combat leader and experimental test pilot.

Awards & Honours

He was awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (SYSM) on Independence Day 2025 specifically for his role during Operation Sindoor. 

He was also honoured with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2024 and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2013.

Military Career Summary

--As a Squadron Leader, he was part of the team that operationalized laser-guided bombs on the Mirage 2000 at the start of the Kargil War; these were used in attacks on Tiger Hill and Muntho Dhalo during Operation Safed Sagar.

--Commanded a fighter squadron in the Eastern Sector; served as chief test pilot at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (Nasik Division) and later at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE).

--As Group Captain: Chief Test Pilot at ASTE and Director (Operational Planning and Assessment Group) at Air Headquarters; led the IAF contingent for Exercise Garuda IV in France (2010).

--As Air Commodore: Commanded 15 Wing (AFS Bareilly) and 18 Wing (AFS Pathankot); Air Cmde (Air Staff Requirements) at Air Headquarters.

--As Air Vice Marshal: Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Projects) and Commandant of ASTE.

--As Air Marshal: Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Doctrine, Organisation and Training) from 9 January 2023.
Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) from 5 December 2023.

--AOC-in-C, Western Air Command from 1 January 2025 (succeeded Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha; succeeded by Air Marshal George Thomas).

Ram Mandir's First Full-Time CEO

This appointment follows major governance reforms aimed at strengthening the administration and transparency within the Trust, which has faced scrutiny due to the recent controversy over donation. The appointment marks a crucial moment in the Trust's history, as it is the first time a full-time CEO has been designated for the organization.

How Was The New CEO Selected?

Earlier, the meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust began at Shri Maniramdas Chhawni in Ayodhya on Wednesday to discuss and decide on the appointment of the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir.

Trust members, including Mahant Dinendra Das Maharaj, Mahant Kamal Nayan Das and Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, arrived at the venue for the meeting.

The Trust discussed the selection report and decided on the name of its first CEO during the meeting.

The search committee constituted for it submitted its final report a day earlier after a rigorous screening process that saw more than 5,000 applicants compete for the post.

The report was submitted during a high-level meeting attended by Trust members, including Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, Mahant Dinendra Das, Acting General Secretary Krishna Mohan, and Ayodhya District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi.

The three-member search committee comprised retired Lieutenant General Vishnu Kant Chaturvedi, former scientist Suresh Haware, and former Justice Pramod Kohli.