Ayodhya, Sep 2026 : The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is set to hold a crucial meeting in Ayodhya on Wednesday to consider and potentially finalise the appointment of the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ram Temple, besides discussing changes to several key trustee-level and administrative positions.
The high-profile meeting will be held at Maniram Das Chhawani in two sessions and is expected to focus on restructuring various committees of the Trust, including those responsible for management, construction, finance and religious affairs. The decisions are being viewed as an important step in strengthening the administrative framework governing the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple complex and its associated activities.
The meeting comes a day after a three-member search committee submitted its recommendations for the appointment of the temple's first CEO. The committee recommended three names to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Tuesday after completing an extensive selection process.
The search panel comprised retired Lieutenant General Vishnu Kant Chaturvedi, former scientist Suresh Haware and retired Justice Pramod Kohli. The committee was tasked with identifying a suitable candidate capable of handling the growing administrative responsibilities associated with the temple and its expanding operations.
Trust Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj thanked the members of the search committee for their efforts and said the recommendations would be considered by the Trust's board during Wednesday's meeting.
“We are grateful for their efforts and will consider the recommendations before the Trust board meeting tomorrow,” he told reporters.
Asked whether the CEO's name would be formally announced following the meeting, Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj said the final decision rested entirely with the Trust. He expressed hope that an announcement could be made but maintained that the board would take the final call.
“I am hopeful that the announcement should be made; however, the final decision depends on the Trust,” he said.
Retired Justice Pramod Kohli, meanwhile, described his participation in the selection process as an opportunity for which he was grateful to Lord Ram. He stressed that transparency and fairness had been given considerable importance throughout the process.
Explaining the scale of the recruitment exercise, Kohli said the committee received 5,585 applications between July 11 and 18. Screening such a large number of applications proved to be a significant task, following which the committee decided to introduce a structured evaluation mechanism.
At a meeting held on July 19, the committee decided to create a Google Form through which applicants could be assessed on the basis of eligibility and other prescribed criteria. A 600-mark evaluation form was subsequently prepared and sent to the candidates.
Of the applicants, 3,570 responded to the evaluation form. The committee then scrutinised each response and decided that candidates securing more than 60 per cent would qualify for further consideration.
Following the initial screening, 108 candidates who secured 470 marks or more out of 600 were shortlisted for the next stage. Kohli said the committee then interacted virtually with all 108 candidates over a period of four days.
The selection process was subsequently narrowed down further, with 17 candidates invited for face-to-face interaction at Ayodhya Dham. Of those invited, 16 candidates attended the physical interaction. Each candidate was assessed against multiple parameters during the interaction.
After completing the evaluation, the committee recommended three names to the Trust. Kohli said the recommendations were based on several factors, including the candidates' vision, understanding of the responsibilities and issues involved, as well as their devotion to Lord Ram.
“We have recommended three names whom we thought are the most suitable on the basis of their vision, understanding of issues, and their devotion to Lord Ram,” he said.
The appointment of the first CEO is expected to bring a dedicated administrative leadership structure to the temple Trust as activities at the Ram Janmabhoomi complex continue to expand. The Wednesday meeting is also expected to determine the future structure of several committees and trustee-level responsibilities, making it one of the most significant organisational meetings of the Trust in recent times.
