LUCKNOW: Fluency in written and spoken Hindi and English, Indian citizenship, and proven administrative and managerial experience. These are among the key attributes the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is looking for in its next Chief Executive Officer (CEO), whose appointment is likely to be announced around August 15. A three-member selection committee is currently screening over 5,500 applications received from across the country.Meanwhile, the Trust is expected to regain its full sanctioned strength of 15 trustees on Wednesday, when three vacant positions are likely to be filled. The vacancies arose following the demise of Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra, the erstwhile Raja of Ayodhya who died last year, and the resignations of former general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra.A member of the selection committee told TOI that the appointment process is expected to take about four weeks, indicating that the final decision would be made around mid-August.According to the committee member, the selection process is now in the scrutiny stage. The panel will first shortlist candidates based on their applications before conducting interactions with selected applicants. Some candidates will be called for interviews in person before the committee finalizes its recommendations.“We will shortlist candidates first and interact with some of them virtually, while a few will be invited for physical interviews,” the member said.Read more: Ram Temple Trust to pick 3 new trustees, discuss CEO role in key meet todayThe committee is expected to recommend three names to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which will make the final selection after one-to-one interview for final assessment before appointing the CEO.The committee member said applications have been received from across India and estimated the total number to be around 5,500. However, the panel has not yet categorized the applications, including data on the number of women candidates.Asked about the eligibility criteria and qualities being looked for in a successful candidate, the member said emphasis would be on overall personality rather than a single qualification.“The person should be a good manager, capable administrator, humble, have good educational qualifications and relevant experience. Communication skills in both Hindi and English are essential,” the member said.The committee expects the candidate to have faith in Sanatan and Lord Ram.Asked whether applicants from any particular region would be preferred, the committee member said the selection would not be region specific. “It does not matter whether the candidate comes from the north, south, east or west. The person should be an Indian citizen,” the member said, adding that overseas Indians would be eligible only if they hold Indian citizenship.The CEO will initially be appointed for a three-year tenure, according to the committee member.The panel is also expected to visit Ayodhya during the final phase of the selection process before submitting its recommendations to the Trust. The committee member clarified that no specific date has been fixed yet for the visit, but it would be around the first week of August.Asked whether the committee was inclined to appoint a woman CEO, the member said no such preference has been decided. “We are open to both genders. We are looking only for the most suitable candidate,” the member said.
