Jagdish Aphale appointed secretary of Ayodhya Ram Temple trust amid donation scandal

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which oversees the Ayodhya Ram Temple, has appointed Jagdish Aphale as its secretary. The appointment is expected to be formally approved at the trust’s executive meeting scheduled for September 2, 2026. Aphale will be responsible for the daily administration of the temple.

Aphale, a resident of Pune, holds a BTech in Electrical Engineering and an MTech from IIT Bombay. He is associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Before returning to India after retirement, he worked for multinational corporations in Europe and the United States. Since the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute and the start of temple construction, he has served as the honorary project manager and has been living at the Teerth Kshetra Bhavan in Ayodhya.

The appointment comes in the wake of a reported embezzlement of donations offered at the temple, first reported in early June. Eight individuals have been arrested in connection with the case. Last month, the trust’s general secretary Champat Rai and member Anil Mishra resigned following public outcry over the scandal. Earlier this month, the trust also invited applications for the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to manage the temple’s administration.