Champat Rai

Champat Rai (born Champat Rai Bansal; 18 November 1946) is an Indian social leader, activist, and the International Vice President of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). For decades, he has been one of the primary organizational figures of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Following the 2019 Supreme Court of India verdict on the Ayodhya dispute, Rai was appointed as the foundational General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust, which was established by the Government of India to supervise the construction of the Ram Mandir. He served in this capacity until his resignation in June 2026.

Early life and academic career Champat Rai was born on 18 November 1946 into the family of Rameshwar Prasad Bansal and Savitri Devi in the Mohalla Saraimir locality of Nagina tehsil, Bijnor district, Uttar Pradesh. From early childhood, Rai was associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and later became a full-time campaigner (pracharak) for the organization.

Rai pursued studies in the sciences and subsequently worked as a lecturer in Chemistry at the RSM Degree College in Dhampur, Bijnor. Operating from Karsevak Puram in Ayodhya, Rai supervised day-to-day procurement, logistics, and the consecration ceremony of the temple on 22 January 2024. The issue escalated following the recovery of cash from the residence of a trust employee managing donations. In response, the Uttar Pradesh government established a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising IAS officer Vijay Vishwas Pant, IPS officer Kiran S., and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan to investigate the matter.

Public scrutiny intensified when Rai's driver, Ramashankar Yadav (alias Tinnu Yadav), was identified as a suspect by investigators. Opposition parties and activists subsequently alleged administrative negligence and complicity in the siphoning of funds. Following these developments, Rai resigned from his post as General Secretary in late June 2026.