18 shortlisted for Ram Temple CEO post amid donation case, interviews from today
The 18 shortlisted candidates reached Ayodhya late on Monday and were instructed to not talk to media during their stay in the city.
Eighteen individuals have been narrowed down from among 5,200 applicants to fill the first full-time chief executive officer (CEO) position at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, sources revealed on Monday. The move came after allegations of misappropriation of donation funds surfaced.
To be appointed as the full-time CEO, the chosen individual must be a practicing Hindu, adhere strictly to Hindu traditions and guidelines, be a vegetarian, and refrain from alcohol consumption. Furthermore, the candidate must fall within the age range of 50 to 70 years.
Upon receiving the list of 18 shortlisted candidates, all of them traveled to Ayodhya and lodged in various locations specified by the trust, according to a senior trust official. The shortlisted candidates, which comprise former bureaucrats and leaders from temple management in South India, will undergo interviews at the temple premises on Tuesday and Wednesday. A panel consisting of former justice Pramod Kohli, retired lieutenant general Vishnukant Chaturvedi, and scientist Suresh Haware will evaluate the candidates.
The interview process will commence at 10 am. The 18 applicants will be whittled down to three potential finalists, after which the trust will make the final decision.
The CEO’s core responsibility will be to manage and oversee the temple's administration and business operations. The selected candidate must also be a pure vegetarian and a strict teetotaler.
Current interim general secretary Krishna Mohan is expected to retain his position, as no agreement could be reached on a new name for the role. Mohan, a senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member and former Indian Forest Service officer, was appointed interim general secretary following Champat Rai's resignation due to the embezzlement allegations.
Rai currently serves as the senior vice president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The void created by Rai's departure spurred both the RSS and Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for one of their own members to be considered for the interim general secretary post.
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