Ajit Pawar Dies in Baramati Plane Crash, Maharashtra Mourns
Ajit Pawar Dies in Baramati Plane Crash, Maharashtra Mourns
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in a Learjet crash at Baramati; authorities confirm casualties as tributes pour in from across the political spectrum.
Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died when a private Learjet 45 crash-landed at Baramati airport early Wednesday. The 66-year-old NCP chief was among five people on board when the aircraft, operated by VSR Aviation, went down on its approach from Mumbai. According to initial information from the DGCA, no one on board survived the crash.
The jet was chartered for a Mumbai-to-Baramati flight, carrying Pawar, his personal security officer, an attendant, and two crew members — the pilot in command and the first officer. Reports indicate the aircraft touched down during a second attempt to land and struck the edge of Baramati’s tabletop runway, a detail being reviewed by investigators.
Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Pawar as a leader with deep grassroots backing and a strong connection to the people. The NCP leader is survived by his wife Sunetra, a Rajya Sabha MP, and two sons, Parth and Jay.
Ajit Pawar’s rise in Maharashtra politics has been shaped by his family legacy and his ability to navigate party dynamics. Born on July 22, 1959, in Deolali Pravara in Ahmednagar district, he was the son of Anantrao Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s elder brother, and grew up alongside the shadow and influence of his uncle. Known to supporters as “dada,” Pawar was long viewed as a pragmatic, hard-working figure who sought to empower farmers and widen rural development. His career saw him emerge from within Sharad Pawar’s orbit to become a formidable force in the state’s political landscape.
