Mandir Will Be Opened For Devotees Next January

Retired IAS officer Nripendra Misra has been entrusted with the “divine task” of building the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. In an exclusive interview, he explains the intricacies of the construction and the challenges he encountered. And he promises that the temple will be opened for devotees next January | Narendra Modi is likely to be the primary beneficiary of the construction of the Ram Temple | Ayodhya is being transformed into a different city

- Pratul Sharma

Not everyone gets to hold the most coveted bureaucratic post in the country, and then rise to occupy an even more exalted position and a place in history. Retired IAS officer Nripendra Misra managed to do both. After serving as principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 78-year-old Misra now serves as chairman of the Ram temple construction committee, which he defines as a “divine task”. Between managing diverse technical aspects required to build a temple that is expected to last a thousand years, and dealing with scores of religious leaders, local people and politicians, Misra has his hands full. “It has made me more humble,” he says, as he sits down in his office at Teen Murti Bhavan in New Delhi. Misra also serves as chairperson of the executive council of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. He oversaw the construction of the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya (Prime Ministers’ Museum) which has turned into a popular destination in the national capital.

Misra spoke exclusively with THE WEEK, explaining the intricacies of the Ram temple construction and the challenges he encountered. His current task involves travelling regularly to the construction site in Ayodhya, holding a review meeting every Saturday and making decisions when diverse opinions come in.

Edited excerpts:

NRIPENDRA MISRA chairman, Ram temple construction committee

Q/ The question on top of everyone’s mind is: When will the temple be ready for devotees?