Ayodhya: The race for the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir has entered a crucial stage, with eight shortlisted candidates appearing for interviews on Tuesday, including former IPS officer Rajesh Kumar Pandey, former Jaunpur District Magistrate Dinesh Chandra and former Ayodhya DM Yogeshwar Ram Mishra.
The interview process, being conducted for the CEO post of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, has shortlisted 18 candidates from more than 5,300 applicants. The candidates include three former IAS officers, one former IPS officer and four former military officers in the group interviewed on Tuesday.
The interview session was held between 11:30 AM and 2 PM. Sources said each candidate was interviewed for around 15 to 20 minutes.
The selection process will ultimately result in three names being shortlisted, after which the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will conduct the final round of interviews and select the CEO.
Ex-IPS ‘Encounter Specialist’ Rajesh Pandey Among Contenders
One of the prominent names in the race is retired IPS officer Rajesh Kumar Pandey, a former Uttar Pradesh Police officer widely known as an ‘encounter specialist’.
A 2003-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, Pandey retired on June 30, 2021, as Inspector General of Police, Bareilly Range, after a long policing career.
He was associated with the formation of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), and played a key role in operations against organised crime and terrorism.
Mr Pandey became particularly known for his role in the operation against gangster Shri Prakash Shukla, who was accused of plotting to assassinate then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh.
During his career, Pandey also worked on technology-driven policing and developed electronic mobile-phone surveillance methods for counter-terrorism and anti-mafia operations.
He served as SSP in important districts including Lucknow, Meerut and Aligarh, besides serving in other senior policing assignments. He was also deployed with the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo in 2008.
Pandey received the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry four times, in 1999, 2000, 2007 and 2016. He was also awarded the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2005.
His other recognitions include Silver, Gold and Platinum Commendation Discs from the Uttar Pradesh DGP in 2018, 2020 and 2021 respectively.
After retirement, Pandey served as a nodal officer with the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA). He has also remained active as an author and storyteller, including through a YouTube channel focusing on real-life police cases.
Rajesh Pandey’s Academic Background
Before entering policing, Mr Pandey had an academic and research background.
Born on June 15, 1961, in Lalapur in Prayagraj district, he pursued his early education in Uttar Pradesh and later studied at Government Inter College, Allahabad.
He completed his B.Sc. in Biology in 1983 and subsequently obtained an M.Sc. in Botany from Allahabad University.
He also cleared the UGC NET/JRF examination and briefly worked as a Research Associate at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, New Delhi, before moving into the civil services.
Pandey initially entered the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Police Service in 1986 and began his field training in 1988. He was later inducted into the IPS in 2003.
His post-retirement literary work includes the book Varchasva, which received the Rajbhasha Puruskar.
Former Jaunpur DM Dinesh Chandra Also in Race
Another prominent name among the candidates is Dr. Dinesh Chandra Singh, a 2012-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
Dinesh Chandra served as District Magistrate and Collector of Jaunpur from September 2024 before moving to his present assignment as Special Secretary, Public Works Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, in Lucknow.
A native of Bijnor, Dinesh Chandra was born on January 7, 1966. His academic qualifications include an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, besides an LL.B. in Constitutional and Administrative Law from the University of Allahabad.
He entered the administrative service through the State Civil Service and was subsequently promoted to the IAS cadre in 2012.
Dinesh Chandra Has Served as DM of Five Districts
Dinesh Chandra has held several important field and secretariat assignments during his career.
He served as Chief Development Officer in Aligarh in 2018 and later became Municipal Commissioner of Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation in 2019.
He subsequently served as Special Secretary in the Culture Department of the Uttar Pradesh government.
His district-level assignments included serving as District Magistrate of Kanpur Dehat, Bahraich, Saharanpur and Jaunpur, giving him considerable experience in district administration and public-facing governance.
He was appointed DM of Kanpur Dehat in August 2020, followed by Bahraich in June 2021, and later Saharanpur in 2023. He took charge as Jaunpur DM in September 2024.
In May 2026, he was appointed Special Secretary in the PWD Department in Lucknow.
Governance Initiatives and Public Outreach
Mr Chandra has also attracted attention for several governance and public outreach initiatives.
During his tenure in district administration, he was associated with work covering agriculture, technology and social welfare and was selected for the Indian Express Excellence in Governance Award in March 2025.
While serving as DM, he personally participated in the cultivation of Dhaincha, a green manure crop, as an effort to encourage farmers to adopt practices aimed at improving soil health.
Under his leadership, Jaunpur also secured the first position in Uttar Pradesh for the highest number of development suggestions submitted through the Samarth Portal.
Beyond administration, Dinesh Chandra is known for his interest in yoga and fitness. He has attracted public attention for performing Shirshasana at the age of 58 and has also authored a book titled Karmakumbh.
Yogeshwar Mishra: A Key Contender
Yogeshwar Ram Mishra is a retired 2005-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre and is currently regarded as a prominent contender for the position of the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
His administrative experience includes direct involvement in the governance of Ayodhya, giving him a strong understanding of the city’s distinctive challenges related to religious tourism, civic administration, security, and the management of large pilgrim gatherings. During his tenure, he played a key role in coordinating district-level governance, maintaining law and order, and overseeing arrangements for major religious events and large-scale public movement in the region.
Born on 8 May 1964 in Prayagraj, Mr Mishra holds master’s degrees in Philosophy and Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in the Netherlands. He began his administrative career as a UP-PCS officer in August 1988 before being inducted into the IAS.
He subsequently served as the District Magistrate (DM) of several sensitive and high-profile districts, including Ayodhya in 2016, Varanasi, and Barabanki. Mr Mishra also served as the Divisional Commissioner of the Vindhyachal and Devipatan divisions before retiring from active service as the Gonda Divisional Commissioner on 31 May 2024.
Following his retirement, he was appointed to the Uttar Pradesh State Public Service Tribunal in January 2025. As of August 2026, he is reportedly among the final candidates being considered for the position of CEO of the Ram Mandir administration. His candidacy is reportedly supported by his extensive administrative experience, familiarity with Ayodhya’s governance challenges, and established rapport with local authorities and religious stakeholders.
18 Candidates Shortlisted From More Than 5,300 Applications
The scale of the recruitment process is significant. More than 5,300 people applied for the CEO position after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust invited applications.
The applications were screened through an online process. Applicants were required to respond to 34 questions, following which the selection team shortlisted 18 candidates for interviews.
The interviews are being conducted over four days.
Of the 18 shortlisted candidates, the group appearing on Tuesday included three former IAS officers, one former IPS officer and four former military officers. The names of the remaining 15 candidates have not been publicly disclosed.
After the four-day interview process, three candidates will be shortlisted. The final selection will then be made by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust after another round of interviews.
What Was Asked in the CEO Application?
The application process sought extensive information about the candidates’ professional experience as well as their association with religious and social organisations.
Applicants were asked to provide basic details such as their name, date of birth, age, address, city, state, PIN code, mobile number and email address.
The form also sought information about their proficiency in Hindi and English, highest educational qualification, current employment or retirement status, and previous organisations.
Candidates were asked about the size of the workforce they had previously managed, with options extending from 1,000–5,000 employees to more than 5,000 employees.
The applicants were also asked whether they had previously been associated with a social or religious organisation, math (monastery) or temple, and, if so, the duration of that association.
Significantly, the application also sought to know whether an applicant considered himself a “staunch Hindu” or a “believer”, along with details of the candidate’s association with Hindu religious institutions.
Applicants were further asked to submit their vision, action plan and suggestions for the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra.
Eligibility Criteria for Ram Mandir CEO
The CEO recruitment process has been designed to attract candidates with extensive administrative and organisational experience.
Applicants were required to be between 50 and 70 years of age and have at least 20 years of professional experience.
The required experience could be in areas including general administration, finance and accounts, human resources, public relations, information technology, security and legal affairs.
The CEO will initially be appointed for a three-year term, with the possibility of an extension depending on performance.
The position is particularly significant because the CEO will be responsible for professionalising and coordinating the administration of the temple complex and its associated operations.
Interview Panel for First Ram Mandir CEO
The interview and selection process is being overseen by a three-member panel comprising:
- Justice Pramod Kohli, retired judge
- Lt Gen Vishnukant Chaturvedi, retired Lieutenant General
- Dr Suresh Haware, scientist and former chairman of the Shirdi Sai Baba Trust
The panel has been tasked with screening the shortlisted candidates and recommending three names for the final round.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will subsequently conduct the final selection.
Why the CEO Appointment Is Significant
The creation of the CEO position comes as the Ram Mandir administration expands and the temple complex moves towards managing an increasingly large number of devotees, offerings, facilities and associated activities.
The recruitment process also follows concerns over the management and security of offerings at the temple, including an incident involving the alleged theft of offerings.
Against this backdrop, the Trust is looking for a senior professional with extensive experience in administration, security, finance, human resources and organisational management.
The presence of senior former civil servants, police officers and military personnel among the shortlisted candidates reflects the importance attached to the role.
With 18 candidates shortlisted from more than 5,300 applicants and only three names to be forwarded for the final round, the selection of the first CEO of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir is now entering its decisive phase.
Read also: After Audit Findings, Ram Mandir Trust Plans CEO-Led Administration, Rejects Serving IAS Officer
