The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust's CEO search committee has said devotion to Lord Ram, along with professional expertise, will be the key criteria for selecting the temple's first CEO.
Search panel member Suresh Haware said that the CEO will oversee finance, crowd management, disaster preparedness and overall temple administration, with transparency and public trust as top priorities.
The committee will soon finalise eligibility criteria, invite applications and recommend a panel of candidates for the post created after the Trust's donation theft controversy.
Devotion to Lord Ram will be the foremost criterion in selecting the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, followed by professional expertise in managing large institutions, search committee member Suresh Haware told The Indian Express.
The Trust constituted a three-member committee on July 6 to identify candidates for the newly created post in the wake of the donation theft controversy. Besides Haware, the panel comprises retired Justice Pradeep Kohli and Lieutenant General (Retd.) Vishnukant Chaturvedi.
'Public Trust Has To Be Rebuilt'
Speaking to The Indian Express from Srinagar during the Amarnath Yatra, Haware described the assignment as one of the country's biggest institutional management challenges, saying the focus would be on creating a transparent system capable of restoring public confidence.
Haware said the CEO must combine devotion to Lord Ram with a spirit of public service and respect for devotees. Experience in finance, human resources, procurement, institutional administration and temple management would also be key considerations.
Why Ayodhya Needs A Different Model
Haware told The Indian Express that Ayodhya requires a distinct management model because of the scale of pilgrim footfall and the temple's unique religious significance.
He said the temple attracts more than two lakh devotees on a normal day, with numbers increasing sharply during festivals, making crowd management, disaster preparedness and administrative planning significantly more challenging than at many other religious institutions.
According to the report, Haware also said the Ram temple's association with a centuries-long movement gives it a special place in the public imagination, increasing the responsibility of those managing the institution.
Donation Scam
The Ram Temple in Ayodhya was hit by a scandal after it was alleged that a huge amount of money was being siphoned off from the donation's received by the temple.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed by the UP Government to look into the matter. After Investigation eight suspects were arrested in relation to this case.
The police also stated that more than ₹70 lakh was recovered from seven of the eight suspects.
After the scandal came to light, the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's general secretary, Champat Rai, resigned on moral grounds. Another senior official related to the trust, Anil Mishra, also resigned.
On July 6, at a meeting of the trust accepted the resignations of both members and began the search for a new CEO to head the authority.
In the meantime, Krishna Mohan was appointed as interim general secretary of the trust.
(With Inputs From The Indian Express)
