Air Marshal (retd) Jeetendra Mishra, who headed the Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor, was appointed the first CEO of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Wednesday, officials said.Mishra’s name was selected from a shortlist of three candidates picked from 5,585 applications.The appointment 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.Committee secretary Sameer Panda said the panel had recommended “three highly qualified professionals” after assessing their leadership, management expertise, integrity and vision.Mishra served in the Indian Air Force for 38 years and held key roles as a fighter pilot, combat instructor and test pilot.Besides, the Trust has reportedly named Mahesh Bhagchandka from Delhi, former Additional Advocate General Madan Mohan Pandey from Ayodhya and Nirmala Yadav as new trustees.Nripendra Mishra, chairman of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee, had earlier stressed that a full-time CEO was critical to bringing professional administration and transparency to the world’s most watched temple project.The decision was taken at a meeting attended by Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Swami Kamalnayan Das, interim general secretary Dr Krishna Mohan, trustee Mahant Dinendra Das and treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri, among others. — with PTI