Retired IFS Officer Krishna Mohan Named Interim General Secretary of Ram Temple Trust

Krishna Mohan, 73, a retired Indian Forest Service officer of the 1978 batch from Maharashtra, has been appointed interim General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya, which oversees the Ram temple.

The trust, constituted by the central government in 2020 to manage the construction and subsequent administration of the Ram temple, has functioned as the primary institutional body responsible for the temple's finances, construction oversight and day-to-day governance since its formation. The General Secretary's post is the trust's principal executive position, responsible for coordinating between the trust's board members, contractors and government liaison for the temple complex.

Mohan's appointment follows the trust's acceptance of the resignation of Champat Rai, the previous General Secretary, amid allegations concerning the mishandling of trust funds and thefts. The trust has not disclosed the full findings of any internal review into those allegations, and Rai's exit marks a significant leadership change at an institution that has drawn national attention since the temple's consecration.

Mohan, identified as an ideologue associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has reportedly been associated with the Ram temple trust in some capacity since his retirement from the Indian Forest Service, according to people familiar with the trust's functioning. His appointment as interim General Secretary suggests the trust is seeking continuity through a figure already familiar with its operations rather than bringing in an entirely new administrator during the transition.

The scale of the allegations against Rai and the trust's decision to accept his resignation are likely to keep the institution under scrutiny in the coming months, particularly regarding financial oversight and accountability mechanisms for donations and construction funds channelled through the trust.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust manages one of India's most closely watched religious institutions, overseeing not just the temple structure but also the surrounding Ayodhya development corridor, donation collection systems and coordination with state and central authorities on security and infrastructure around the site. A change at the General Secretary level, given the post's role as the trust's day-to-day executive authority, is likely to draw attention to how the trust intends to strengthen its financial governance and reporting systems in the months ahead, particularly given the volume of donations the temple has attracted since its consecration.