Ram Mandir Trust Appoints RSS Leader Jagdish Aafle as First Secretary Amid Administrative Overhaul
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has appointed senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary and Ram Mandir project manager Jagdish Aafle as its first secretary, marking a major organisational restructuring aimed at strengthening the administration of the Ayodhya temple. The appointment comes as the trust seeks to improve governance and financial oversight following recent controversies over alleged irregularities in the handling of devotees’ donations.
Jagdish Aafle, an IIT Bombay alumnus with degrees in Electrical Engineering, has had a long professional career in India, Europe and the United States before joining the Ram Mandir project as its honorary project manager on the recommendation of the RSS. Since construction of the temple began, he has overseen key engineering and execution work while residing in Ayodhya with his wife on the trust premises.
As the trust’s first secretary, Aafle will supervise the temple’s day-to-day administration and has also been made a joint signatory for the trust’s financial transactions along with Interim General Secretary Krishna Mohan. Trust officials say the move is intended to introduce greater accountability, transparency and institutional checks in the management of the temple’s expanding operations.
The appointment follows a major administrative shake-up triggered by allegations of misappropriation of cash offerings made by devotees. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to probe the matter, following which an FIR was registered and several individuals were arrested. The controversy also led to organisational changes within the trust, including the departure of senior office-bearers and the creation of new administrative positions.
Alongside the secretary’s post, the trust is also in the process of appointing its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and an official spokesperson as part of a broader effort to professionalise the management of the Ram Mandir. Officials have indicated that these new office-bearers will handle the temple’s growing administrative, financial and public communication responsibilities while reporting to the board of trustees.
Although Aafle has assumed the responsibilities of the newly created position, the trust is expected to formally ratify his appointment at its executive committee meeting scheduled for September 2. The move is being viewed as a significant milestone in the evolution of the Ram Mandir’s administrative structure as the temple enters its next phase of operations after the completion of its main construction.
