New Delhi, Aug 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, expressed grief over the demise of Vimalendra Mohan Pratap Mishra, member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and head of the Ayodhya royal family, popularly known as Raj Sadan Ayodhya.

In a message posted on social media platform X, PM Modi said Mishra's life was devoted to religious and social causes.

"I am deeply saddened by the demise of Vimalendra Mohan Pratap Mishra Ji, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and the head of Rajsadan Ayodhya. His life was dedicated to religious and social work. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant him a place at his divine feet and provide strength to his grieving family and admirers. Om Shanti!," the Prime Minister wrote on X.

Mishra, who passed away in Ayodhya on Sunday, played a significant role in the spiritual and cultural life of the temple town.

As head of the Ayodhya royal family, he was seen as a custodian of traditions linked to the city's rich heritage.

His association with the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust -- constituted in 2020 to oversee the construction of the Ram Mandir -- further elevated his stature as a prominent figure in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.

He was about 75-years-old. His wife had also passed away last year.

Mishra was nominated as a permanent trustee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on February 5, 2020, during the announcement of the trust's formation in Parliament by Prime Minister Modi.

Mishra was actively involved in religious events and was widely respected for balancing royal traditions with modern social concerns.

His leadership in Ayodhya's Raj Sadan ensured continuity of age-old rituals associated with Lord Ram's birthplace while also engaging with contemporary developmental activities.

His demise comes at a time when Ayodhya is witnessing historic transformation with the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in 2024.

Prominent leaders and members of the trust, including President Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, General Secretary Champat Rai, Treasurer Govind Devgiri, Anil Mishra and Gopalji Rao, expressed condolences.

Political leaders such as former BJP MP Vinay Katiyar, Samajwadi Party MP Awadesh Prasad, MLAs Prakash Gupta and Abhay Singh, Ayodhya Mayor Girishpati Tripathi, and former Ayodhya Mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay also mourned the demise of Mishra.

Saints and Mahants of Ayodhya, including Mahant Bindugadacharya, Mahant Kamalnayan Das, Mahant Girish Das, Mahant Ramsharan Das, Mahant Awadesh Das, and several others, paid tribute to Mishra.

Mishra's death comes after the demise of another permanent trustee, Kameshwar Chaupal, who died on February 6, 2025, in Delhi following prolonged illness.

(IANS)

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