Ayodhya Ram Temple (File Photo)
Ayodhya: The selection committee is likely to submit three shortlisted names to the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for the first CEO of the Ram temple, sources said on Tuesday.
The first CEO of the Ram temple will be selected at a meeting to be held on Wednesday at the place of the president of the Ram Mandir Trust, Nritya Gopal Das, in Maniramdas Chhawani.
Selection committee officials, retired Justice Pramod Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi, and expert member Suresh Hawde, have reached Ayodhya.
Names for three posts (two members and general secretary) may be announced on Wednesday. Three vacant posts were created following the death of Trust member Vimalendra Mohan Pratap Mishra, and alleged theft of offerings and the resignation of former general secretary of the temple trust Champat Rai and Anil Mishra.
The temple Trust will also make an official announcement on the post of secretary of the Trust in a meeting likely to begin at 2 pm on Wednesday. Jagdish Ofale will be the first secretary of the temple trust.
VHP international general secretary Bajrang Lal Bangda may also be included in the trust, sources said.
Treasurer of the temple trust Govind Dev Giri, upon being asked whether the new CEO will be named on Wednesday, said, "That is up to the trust to decide. I expect it to happen, but the Board of Trustees will decide whether to do it or not." Thanking the three-member selection panel, Giri said that the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had requested the three distinguished individuals to guide them.
"We sought this guidance because we were in search of an excellent CEO to ensure the superior management of such a big, world-renowned temple. We turned to Justice (Pramod) Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and Suresh Hawde. Working tirelessly and conducting interviews from morning till evening, they went through approximately 5,500 applications. First, they shortlisted 3,000; then 1,500 and finally, a group of 300 candidates emerged," Giri said.
"Subsequently, they conducted in-person interviews with 16 individuals."
On July 6, the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust decided to appoint a chief executive officer (CEO) to oversee the day-to-day functioning of the Ram temple in Ayodhya as it admitted that the donation theft has harmed its image.
Vowing to restore the faith of devotees, the Trust announced a three-member search committee for the CEO comprising retired Justice Pradeep Kohli, retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and Suresh Haware, former chairman of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust.
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