Ayodhya: A high-powered selection committee on Tuesday commenced interviews in Ayodhya to select the first full-time Chief Executive Officer for the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The screening process follows the trust’s decision to institute professional administrative leadership in the wake of financial embezzlement allegations involving temple donations. Eighteen candidates, shortlisted from a pool of over 5,200 applicants, arrived in the holy city on Monday evening and were placed in separate accommodations organized by temple authorities.
The closed-door interviews are taking place inside the conference room of the Ram temple’s pilgrim facilitation centre. Officials indicated that the screening procedure is scheduled across Tuesday and Wednesday to ensure a thorough evaluation of all shortlisted individuals. The candidates include former senior bureaucrats and experienced administrators who have previously managed major temple trusts across South India. Strict privacy protocols have been enforced, with candidates instructed to refrain from media interactions before being shuttled back to Ayodhya airport for their return flights to New Delhi.
The three-member selection panel tasked with recommending the top three finalists comprises retired Supreme Court judge Justice Pramod Kohli, Lieutenant General (retd) Vishnukant Chaturvedi, and scientist Suresh Haware. Once the panel submits its top recommendations, the trust board will make the final appointment. The new chief executive officer will be vested with autonomous executive authority to oversee daily operations, streamline administrative procedures, manage statutory compliance, and restore financial transparency to the trust’s governance framework.
