Jagdish Aphale (Secretary of Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust) Wife, Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Jagdish Aphale

• Jagdish Aphale has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for many years as a member.

• After completing his postgraduation from IIT Bombay, he worked for several multinational companies and handled projects in Europe and the United States.

• After his retirement, he returned to India.

• In 2019, when the Supreme Court announced its verdict on the Shree Ramjanmbhumi Temple Ayodhya dispute, Jagdish Aphale moved to Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India.

• In 2023, on the recommendation of the RSS, he was appointed as the Honorary Project Manager and Lead Engineer for the Shree Ramjanmbhumi Temple project.
  

  Jagdish Aphale during his period as the Honorary Project Manager and Lead Engineer for the Shree Ramjanmbhumi Temple project

• He then became one of a four-member team of senior engineers that provided technical support for the construction of the Shree Ramjanmbhumi Temple. He supervised the work from digging the foundation to building the plinth and the final structure of the temple.

• Jagdish Aphale performed this role as a volunteer and did not take any salary. Since then, he has been living at the Teerth Kshetra Bhavan in Ayodhya.

• On 6 July 2026, a meeting was held at the Shri Ramjanmbhumi Teerth Kshetra Trust after the former general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra resigned during the investigations of the donation theft.

• After that, Krishna Mohan, interim general secretary, proposed Jagdish Aphale’s name for the post of secretary.
  

  A picture of Shree Ramjanmbhumi Temple Ayodhya, India

• At the same meeting, the Trust postponed the appointment of its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for a month. The screening committee of the Trust needed to review the three shortlisted candidates. These were selected from more than 5,200 applicants.

• In July 2026, Jagdish Aphale made headlines when the Trust named him as the secretary of the temple to look after its daily administration. His appointment was officially approved at the executive meeting of the Trust on 2 September 2026.

• As secretary, he would report to Krishna Mohan, interim general secretary. He would serve as an office bearer and will not be a member of the Trust.

• Jagdish Aphale then became responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the Shree Ramjanmbhumi Temple in Ayodhya. He was also made a joint signatory for the temple’s financial transactions.

• The post of secretary was created to manage the day-to-day operations of the temple. The decision also came after allegations of donation misappropriations at the temple.

• Krishna Mohan told a media outlet that both he and Aphale would sign the banking documents after the board of trustees approved the arrangement.

• The same media outlet then reported that State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank, and Bank of Baroda were initially not willing to accept Jagdish Aphale as a joint signatory for the bank accounts of the Trust until changes were made its constitution.

• Before taking charge, he spent 15 days in learning about the daily work of the temple.

• His wife actively supports his work. She would reportedly assist him in his administrative and organizational works related to the temple.