Ram Mandir trust to appoint Jagdish Aafle as first secretary
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is all set to name Jagdish Aafle as its first secretary. Aafle has overseen the Ram Mandir project for several years and is associated with the RSS. The executive committee will consider his nomination for approval at its meeting on September 2, according to sources at the temple.
Aafle, who is from Pune, brings both technical expertise and commitment to the project. He has a BTech in Electrical Engineering and an MTech from IIT Bombay. After working in India, Europe, and the United States, he returned to India upon retirement. He became the honorary project manager for the Ram Mandir on the RSS’s recommendation when construction started in 2020.
Since then, he and his wife have lived at the temple site in Ayodhya, overseeing important parts of the construction. The Ram Mandir is making big changes, including adding a new secretary position. Interim General Secretary Krishna Mohan has confirmed that Aafle has been nominated for the job. If the committee approves, the appointment will be announced after the September 2 meeting. The trust is also choosing a new spokesperson from several candidates. These changes come after the trust recently faced some challenges.
After allegations of cash donation misuse, the Uttar Pradesh Government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in June 2026. As a result, former General Secretary Champat Rai, who was also the spokesperson, and trustee Anil Mishra resigned. The trust formed an interim panel with Krishna Mohan, Aafle, and chartered accountant Chandan Rai to manage banking and restore financial oversight. Now that Aafle is an authorised signatory for the trust’s State Bank of India accounts, payments like staff salaries have started again.
The September 2 meeting will address several unresolved issues. At the July 22 meeting, the trust delayed choosing a permanent general secretary and its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO), saying they needed more time. More than 5,200 people have applied for the CEO job, which is meant to bring professional management to the temple complex that serves millions of devotees every year.
A nine-member religious committee now oversees rituals and spiritual practices. The Government of India set up the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in February 2020 after the Supreme Court decided on the Ram Janmabhoomi site. The trust is responsible for building and managing the temple. The pran pratishtha ceremony on January 22, 2024, was a historic event for the temple. Under Chairman Mahant Nrityagopal Das, the trust has moved from construction to full operational management of one of Hinduism’s main pilgrimage sites. Aafle’s promotion from honorary project manager to secretary shows the trust values continuity and experience. His long involvement and RSS background have prepared him for more administrative duties, such as working with the religious committee, managing finances, and overseeing security.
With the CEO selection ongoing and trustee positions under review, the September 2 meeting will be important for deciding the trust’s leadership. As the Ram Mandir enters a new phase of management, Aafle’s appointment is expected to bring careful planning and dedicated service to the secretariat. This should help make operations more efficient and support the temple’s spiritual goals.
