Ayodhya: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is poised to appoint its first chief executive officer on Wednesday, after a three-member selection panel handed over a report recommending three candidates for the top executive post.
Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri Maharaj indicated that the final decision would most likely be taken at the trust’s meeting later in the day.
The push for a professional CEO began on July 6, following reports in May of alleged embezzlement of donations that shook public confidence in the trust’s management. Installing a full-time, professionally qualified CEO is seen as a key step toward restoring faith among devotees and donors.
‘Entirely Transparent And Fair’ Selection
The selection committee, comprising retired Justice Pramod Kohli, Lt Gen (retd) Vishnukant Chaturvedi and nuclear scientist Dr Suresh Haware, submitted its recommendations on Tuesday, as reported by Hindustan Times.
“We can say with confidence that this selection process was entirely transparent and fair. The trust will now decide which of these three individuals will serve as the CEO,” Justice Kohli told reporters.
According to Kohli, the panel received 5,585 applications between July 11 and 18. “Scrutinising those was a massive task. So we held a meeting on July 19 and decided to create a Google Form featuring different categories and assigning marks based on eligibility criteria,” he said.
The panel devised a 600-mark Google Form and shared it with all applicants, though only 3,577 responded. Candidates were evaluated on parameters including their commitment to work, clarity of vision and grasp of the issues facing the trust.
“On further categorisation, 108 individuals fell into that specific category — those who scored 470 marks or above. We conducted virtual interactions via video conferencing with these 108 individuals,” Kohli said.
From this group, 17 were shortlisted into Grades A, B and C based on performance and approach. Sixteen of them appeared for in-person interviews in Ayodhya, after which the final three names were chosen.
Deed Amendment, Champat Rai’s Possible Return
The trust will convene in two sittings on Wednesday — from 2 pm to 3 pm and again from 4 pm to 6 pm — to consider a 12-point agenda. This will be its third meeting since the donation controversy erupted.
The trust is expected to amend its deed for the first time since it was formed on February 5, 2020. The changes will set new rules and define the CEO’s powers, especially in relation to the general secretary and other committees.
The amendment may also pave the way for Champat Rai’s return to the trust. Rai, the former general secretary, and trustee Anil Mishra resigned on June 26, a day after the UP Police filed a case over alleged donation irregularities.
Wednesday’s meeting will be held at the residence of trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das in Maniramdas Chhawani, Ayodhya.