India, Sept. 2 -- The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Wednesday named Air Marshal (retd) Jeetendra Mishra as its first full-time chief executive officer (CEO) of the Ram temple, from a shortlist of three candidates picked from 5,585 applications by a high-powered committee, sources said.

An official announcement from the Trust is still awaited.

Besides, the Trust named Mahesh Bhagchandka from Delhi, former additional advocate general Madan Mohan Pandey from Ayodhya and Nirmala Yadav as new trustees.

The appointments came amid a raging controversy over the alleged embezzlement of temple donations that led to the arrest of eight people and the resignation of Champat Rai as general secretary in June.

The appointment of a prof...