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🇮🇳 India /Conflict & Security

Who Is Former IAF Officer Jeetendra Mishra, From Operation Sindoor Medalist to Ram Temple Trust CEO?

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, the first CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, helped plan Operation Sindoor and received the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal.
  • Mishra led India’s Western Air Command during the four-day military confrontation with Pakistan in 2025.
  • He retired after nearly four decades in the Indian Air Force and more than 3,000 flying hours.

Jeetendra Mishra has moved from the command of India’s Western Air Command to become the first chief executive officer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Before taking on the temple trust role, the retired air marshal had spent nearly four decades in the Indian Air Force and helped plan Operation Sindoor.

Mishra received the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal for his role in the operation, which followed the Pakistan-backed attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. The confrontation lasted four days and involved fighter jets, missiles, drones, long-range weapons and heavy artillery before India and Pakistan agreed to stop military action on May 10, 2025.

As commander of the Western Air Command, Mishra was involved in preparing to strike targets in Pakistan within hours of the attack. People familiar with the matter said he helped select the targets and determine which weapons could hit them while limiting collateral damage. He later accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Adampur air base in Punjab, a visit intended to counter what India described as Pakistan’s extensive disinformation campaign.

Mishra comes from Bhopatpura village in eastern Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district. A fighter combat leader and experimental test pilot, he logged more than 3,000 flying hours and retired on April 30 as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command.

His previous appointments included command of a fighter squadron and two frontline air bases, chief test pilot at the Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment, director of the Operational Planning and Assessment Group, assistant chief of air staff for projects, commandant of the testing establishment and deputy chief of the Integrated Defence Staff. One of his former National Defence Academy course-mates described him as someone who applies himself to assigned tasks and executes them well.

He is known for applying himself to the assigned task and executing it well.

· Mishra’s NDA course-mateThe former course-mate described Mishra’s approach to his military responsibilities.
About this summary

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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