Ayodhya: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has said the selection of the first chief executive officer (CEO) of the Ram Mandir complex was conducted through a transparent and merit-based process.
The Trust rejected reports that Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra (Retd) had not appeared for the CEO interview. Trust general secretary Swami Govinddev Giri said such reports were “contrary to facts”, adding that Mishra’s participation was recorded as part of the selection process.
The selection committee, constituted on July 6, received 5,585 applications. Candidates were assessed using AI-assisted technology and manual screening, followed by a multi-stage evaluation across Delhi-NCR, Pune and Sambalpur, the Trust said.
The process culminated in the shortlisting of 16 candidates, who were invited for face-to-face interactions in Ayodhya on August 11 and 12. Mishra participated in the first half of the proceedings on August 11, according to the Trust.
The committee subsequently recommended three candidates — Jitendra Mishra, Sanjay Pratapsinh Vishwas Rao and Shruti Bharadwaj. Mishra emerged as the top choice and was appointed the first CEO of the Ram Mandir complex, Giri said.
The Trust maintained that every stage of the selection process was documented and that details of the shortlisted candidates were recorded in Ayodhya.
It reiterated that the appointment was made in accordance with institutional governance and transparency standards and said the Trust would continue to provide factual information on the selection process.
