Ram Temple Trust Names Mahesh Bhagchandka, Madan Mohan Pandey, Nirmala Yadav As New Trustees

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Wednesday appointed three new trustees — Delhi-based social worker Mahesh Bhagchandka, Ayodhya-based advocate Madan Mohan Pandey and Shikohabad-based academic Nirmala Yadav — to fill vacancies on its governing body. The appointments were announced after a Trust meeting in Ayodhya.

According to the Trust’s press release, the appointments were made against three vacant positions. The New Indian Express reported that two vacancies followed the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, while the third arose after the death of Bimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra.

Who Is Mahesh Bhagchandka?

Mahesh Bhagchandka, 68, is a businessman and social worker from New Delhi. He is also the author of Hindutva Ke Purodha. According to the Trust, Bhagchandka participated as a yajman in rituals during the bhoomi pujan and pran pratishtha ceremonies associated with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple.

He has also been involved in the installation of Ram Stambhs at 292 sacred sites linked to the Shri Ram Van Gaman Yatra. Bhagchandka is a member of the executive committee of the World Hindu Economic Forum.

Who Are Madan Mohan Pandey And Nirmala Yadav?

Madan Mohan Pandey, 68, is an Ayodhya-based advocate and law graduate who has been an office-bearer of the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council. He represented Shri Ram Lalla Virajman and Mahant Ramchandra Paramhans Das in the Ram Janmabhoomi case before the Allahabad High Court and Supreme Court from 1990 to 2019.

Pandey also served as Additional Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh for six years. He is the vice-president of Shri Hari Satsang Samiti and is associated with several educational and religious organisations in Ayodhya.

Nirmala Yadav, 66, is a retired academic from Shikohabad in Uttar Pradesh. She holds postgraduate degrees in Hindi and Sanskrit and a PhD. Yadav served as a college principal for 19 years and has experience evaluating PhD theses and MA dissertations. She was also a member of a university's academic council for 15 years.

Yadav is the first woman to be appointed as a trustee of the Ram temple Trust.

What Else Did The Ram Temple Trust Decide?

The Trust also made changes to its office-bearer responsibilities. Swami Govind Dev Giri will continue as Mahamantri, while Bhagchandka will take charge as treasurer. The Trust also appointed retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as its first full-time chief executive officer.

Mishra was selected from a shortlist of three candidates drawn from 5,585 applications.

The appointment of the 62-year-old comes in the wake of the controversy over the alleged embezzlement of temple donations that led to the arrest of eight people and the resignation of Champat Rai as general secretary.

The search committee was headed by retired Justice Pramod Kohli and comprised retired Lt Gen Vishnukant Chaturvedi and former scientist Suresh Haware. It submitted its final report to trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri on Tuesday.