For Ajit Pawar, who has served as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra six times, the post of Chief Minister remained a dream. He died in a tragic plane crash on Wednesday and his dream of becoming Chief Minister was never realised. Ajit Pawar (66) was a grassroots leader who met a tragic end in his hometown Baramati. Experienced leader Ajit Pawar never hid his desire to become the Chief Minister of the state.

Ajit Pawar was considered a hardworking person

Before joining the coalition government of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena in July 2023, he was the Deputy Chief Minister in November 2019 when Devendra Fadnavis was the Chief Minister. However, that government lasted barely two days. Ajit Pawar was considered a hardworking person. While many leaders have the image of arriving late to programs, Pawar was very punctual. He has a record of becoming Deputy Chief Minister in many governments led by Congress, Shiv Sena and BJP.

Political journey full of ups and downs

Ajit Pawar’s political career was full of ups and downs. He has always emerged victorious from everything, be it the alleged Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam or the recent controversy over his son Parth’s land deal in Pune. People used to fondly call Ajit Pawar as ‘Dada’ (elder brother). He was known for being outspoken and did not mince words when expressing his views, especially to rural audiences.

These statements caused controversy

Ajit Pawar had created a major controversy in 2013 by mocking the severe shortage of water and electricity in some parts of the state. However, after facing criticism for his comments, he had to apologize publicly.

Addressing a public meeting in a village in Pune’s Indapur, he had ridiculed Bhaiya Deshmukh, a farmer from the drought-hit area of ​​Solapur, who was on a fast demanding more water at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. He had said, “He has been on fast for the last 55 days.” If there is no water in the dam, how can we release it? Should we pee in it? If there is no water to drink, it is not possible to urinate.” Referring to the power cut situation in some parts of the state, Ajit Pawar had said, “I have seen that more children are being born at night due to power cuts. It seems that there is no more work left to do.

Rebellion against uncle in July 2023

Coming out of the shadow of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar, in July 2023, Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle and took the name and symbol of the party as well as most of the MLAs of the party to his side. In last year’s Lok Sabha elections, Ajit Pawar’s party got only one seat. Ajit Pawar, who came under attack from critics for his crushing defeat in the general elections, however, proved everyone wrong five months later by winning 41 seats in alliance with the BJP in the assembly elections.

NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) got only 10 seats. After the results of the 2024 assembly elections, Ajit Pawar further strengthened his position in the state politics. Despite the alliance with the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, he insisted that he had joined the ruling coalition for the sake of development and had not deviated from his core progressive ideology.

He remained focused on his party and his ministries, while political speculations revolved around the so-called race for supremacy between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and second Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Became MP from Baramati in 1991

Born on July 22, 1959, to Asha and Anantrao Pawar, Ajit Pawar entered politics in 1982, following the footsteps of his uncle (his father’s younger brother) Sharad Pawar, when he was elected to the board of a sugar factory. In the year 1991, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati and later he vacated the seat for his uncle.

Later Sharad Pawar became Defense Minister in the government of PV Narasimha Rao. Ajit Pawar served as Baramati MLA for eight terms from 1991. Ajit Pawar was the state Finance and Planning Minister and was scheduled to present the state budget for 2026-27 during the beginning of the budget session of the Assembly on February 23 in Mumbai next month.

A plane carrying 5 people, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and two crew members, crashed at Baramati airport on Wednesday (January 28, 2026). All the people on board the plane died in this incident. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed grief by posting on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote that the news of Ajit Pawar’s tragic demise in a plane crash is extremely shocking and extremely sad. Untimely demise of a leader whose political future was bright and promising. It is impossible to express in words the immense sorrow that the bereaved family is going through in this difficult time. I express my deepest condolences to the Pawar family, their supporters and well-wishers.

Mallikarjun Kharge further wrote that Ajit Pawar, who served the people of Maharashtra on various constitutional posts, will be remembered as a skilled politician who fulfilled his responsibilities towards his people with complete devotion and wisdom. may his soul rest in peace.

The news of the tragic demise of Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash, is deeply shocking and profoundly distressing. It is an untimely loss of a leader who had a long and promising political career ahead.

No words can adequately express the immense grief that the bereaved family…

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) January 28, 2026

Which plane was the victim of the accident?

On the matter, the DGCA official said that a team of officers of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is heading towards the accident site. He said that at the time of the accident, there were five people on board the Learjet 45 aircraft, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, two other personnel (a PSO and an operator) and two crew members (pilot-in-command and first officer). The official said that according to preliminary information, no one on board the plane survived the accident.

Also read: Ajit Pawar Plane Crash Live: Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde announces investigation

A horrific plane accident took place in Baramati, Maharashtra on January 28, in which a total of 5 people aboard the plane including Deputy CM Ajit Pawar died. Two pilots were also involved in this accident, one of whom was female pilot Pinky Mali. Pinky Mali was traveling with Ajit Pawar for the fourth time in this flight.

Who was Pinky Mali?

Pinky Mali was 29 years old and lived in Century Quarter of Worli. Her father Shivkumar Mali told that Pinky was very happy and told that if she goes on the flight, she will also make her talk to Ajit Pawar. Her brother told that in the morning call she had said that she was going on a trip after which no message was received from her. According to the information, the local councilor is expressing condolences by reaching Pinky Mali’s house.

Last conversations and memories

In Pinky Mali’s last conversation, she had told that she was going from Baramati to Nanded. Ajit Pawar’s PA shared that Pinky Mali was happy and excited about the visit, the message showed. His enthusiasm has now turned into deep pain for his family and acquaintances. The people in and around his house are shocked by the news of the accident.

Accident scene and eyewitness account

An eyewitness present there has told how horrific the plane crash that happened in Baramati was. The eyewitness said, “I saw with my own eyes. The plane was coming down and it looked like it was going to crash, and then it actually crashed. After that there was a big explosion. We ran there and saw that the plane was on fire. Many people were trying to get out, but the fire was so much that help could not be done. Ajit Pawar was on board the plane, it is very sad for us.”

The Learjet 45 plane crash in Baramati shook the politics and aviation world of Maharashtra. In this tragic accident, all five people on board the plane including the state’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar were killed. The aircraft was being commanded by experienced pilot Captain Sahil Madan. Let us know about them.

Captain Sahil Madan started his pilot career in 2010 and was operating commercial aircraft for the last 16 years. In his career, he worked in reputed companies like Air Charter Services, Winfly Aviation and VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd. He is currently working as a Learjet 45 Captain for VSR Ventures.

the experience was intense

From 2015 to 2020, he worked at VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. Served as Chief Pilot and Pilatus PC-12 Captain. After this, from 2020 to 2021, he worked for Winfly Aviation Pvt. Ltd. Was a Pilatus PC-12 Captain. From 2021 to 2022, he worked at VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. Served as Director Operations and King Air B-350 Captain. From 2022 to 2024 he worked as VSR Corporation Pvt. Ltd. Took over the responsibility of Learjet 45 Captain. Presently he is again with VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. – Was working on the post of Learjet 45 Captain.

When did the accident happen?

During landing at Baramati airport, the plane lost balance and slid off the runway and crashed. According to initial reports, the total weight of the aircraft was approximately 9752 kg and the collision was so severe that the aircraft was completely damaged.

What did DGCA say?

According to DGCA information, Learjet 45 aircraft of VSR operator crashed during crash landing in Baramati. Initial reports say that the plane lost balance while landing at Baramati Airport and slipped from the runway and was completely damaged. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer, an attendant and two crew members, pilot-in-command and first officer, i.e. a total of five people were on board this plane.

No person survived the accident. Rescue teams and administrative officials have reached the spot, and investigation into all aspects like technical fault, weather or piloting error is underway. At present, official confirmation and detailed information is awaited from the administration.

Also read – Maharashtra Plane Crash: How far did Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar study? Know the complete report from schooling

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Reactions of leaders are coming from across the political spectrum on the Baramati plane accident. RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has also expressed grief over this incident. Along with this he has made a big demand. Lalu Yadav has posted on X after this incident that happened on Wednesday (January 28, 2026).

Lalu Yadav wrote, “Received the extremely sad news of the demise of Maharashtra Deputy CM Shri Ajit Pawar ji in the Baramati plane crash. May God rest his soul in peace and give his family and supporters the strength to bear this irreparable loss. There should be a high-level investigation into the accident. Humble tributes.”

It has been posted from RJD’s Lalu Yadav’s son Tejashwi Yadav has also expressed grief over the incident.

Very sad news was received about the demise of Maharashtra Deputy CM Shri Ajit Pawar ji in the Baramati plane crash.

May God rest his soul in peace and give strength to his family and supporters to bear this irreparable loss. There should be a high level investigation into the accident. Polite…

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) January 28, 2026

Vijay Sinha said – the news is very heartbreaking

On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said, “Extremely sad and painful news! The news of the demise of Honorable Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar ji in the plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra is extremely heartbreaking. This incident is an irreparable loss for the country and the state. As a strong leader of NCP, he made an indelible contribution in public service and public life. I pray to God to give peace to the departed soul and in this hour of grief, all the leaders, supporters, Give patience, strength and strength to the followers and the bereaved family.

MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, “The news of the untimely demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar ji in the plane crash in Baramati is extremely painful. His dedication towards public service, grassroots connection and administrative efficiency establish him as a sensitive and hard-working public leader. My deepest condolences to his family, colleagues and countless supporters in this difficult time. May God grant peace to the departed soul! Om Shanti.”

Also read- ‘Vijay Rupani, Ajit Pawar, Bipin Rawat…’, what did Pappu Yadav say on Baramati plane crash?

After the news of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s plane accident came to light, a wave of mourning has spread from Maharashtra to Delhi. Regarding the plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on phone on Wednesday and took complete information about the incident. Maharashtra government has given this information. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five other people died in this accident.

The plane was going from Mumbai to Baramati
According to the information related to the flight, this plane had left Mumbai at 8:10 am and was supposed to land at Baramati Airport at 8:50 am, but just before landing, at 8:48 am, an accident occurred. It is reported that when the Lear Jet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK) was trying to land at Baramati Airport, it slipped off the runway and caught fire after the accident. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that a total of 6 people were on board the plane and all of them died.

Ajit Pawar was going to campaign for Zilla Parishad elections
Ajit Pawar was going to his home area Baramati in Pune district. He had to address four public meetings before the Zilla Parishad elections. Pune Superintendent of Police Sandeep Gill said, ‘So far six bodies have been sent to the hospital. The first three bodies were recovered immediately after the accident. Ajit Pawar’s close aide Kiran Gurjar has also confirmed that all six people including Ajit Pawar were brought dead.

What did the airport manager tell?
Baramati Airport Manager Shivaji Tawde said, ‘The aircraft VT-SSK was trying to land, but it went off the runway and upon impact, it exploded. This aircraft was a Lear Jet 45 chartered from Mumbai.

Recently the operation of the airport was changed
Baramati Airport was earlier owned by a private company, but recently its operation was handed over to Maharashtra Airport Development Company. Investigation into the accident is ongoing and further information is awaited from the administration.

Plane crashed today in Baramati, Maharashtra. NCP leader and state Deputy CM Ajit Pawar was a passenger in this accident, who died. Ajit Pawar had to address several meetings as part of the universal election campaign for Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti. But the plane met with an accident. Captain Shambhavi Pathak was flying this plane. Let us know about them…

According to reports, Captain Shambhavi Pathak’s early education took place in India only. He completed his B.Sc. in Aeronautics and Aviation Science from Mumbai University. After this, Shambhavi Pathak moved to New Zealand to become a pilot. He took commercial pilot training from New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy. Between 2018 and 2019, he learned the intricacies of professional flying here. From here he also got the commercial pilot license of New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.

Strengthened career by returning to India

After taking training from abroad, Shambhavi returned to India and obtained commercial pilot license from DGCA. He also completed the ‘Frozen ATPL’, which is considered an important step towards becoming an airline pilot. Along with this, she also had a flight instructor rating, which means she was eligible to give flying training to others.

Also performed responsibility as an instructor

Shambhavi Pathak also worked as an assistant flight instructor. Here he trained new pilots and deepened his understanding.

Safety and Technical Training

For a pilot, not only flying but understanding of safety rules is equally important. Shambhavi had taken training in Aviation Security i.e. AVSEC from SpiceJet. Apart from this, he had also completed orientation training related to A320 jet.

Learjet 45’s first officer

Since August 2022, Shambhavi Pathak was working as a full-time First Officer at VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. She was responsible for flying high-performance business jets like Learjet-45. This jet is usually used for VIPs, industrialists and special trips.

What was his salary?

Now the question comes about salary. In the aviation sector, the salary of a business jet first officer depends on the experience and company. Generally, a first officer working on a jet like Learjet gets a salary of around Rs 3 to 4 lakh every month.

Also read – Maharashtra Plane Crash: How far did Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar study? Know the complete report from schooling

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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a horrific plane crash on the morning of Wednesday, January 28. According to reports, Ajit Pawar’s plane had taken off from Mumbai and reportedly lost control while landing. While attempting an emergency landing in Baramati, Maharashtra, the plane broke into two, and all six people on board, including the Deputy CM, died tragically by burning. There is a wave of mourning in the entire country due to his death. This is especially a big blow for the Nationalist Congress Party because it has lost one of its experienced leaders. While the entire Pawar family is deeply involved in politics, did you know that Ajit Pawar’s father was in Indian cinema?

Who was Ajit Pawar’s father?
Ajit Pawar was born in Devlali Pravara of Ahmednagar district. He was the son of Ashatai Pawar and Anantrao Pawar, brother of Sharad Pawar. His father died when Ajit was very young. Many members of the Pawar family chose politics as their career, but Anantrao Pawar was one of the members who contributed to Indian cinema.

Ajit Pawar’s father had connections with the Indian film industry.
Ajit Pawar’s father, Anantrao Pawar, had direct connections with the Indian film industry, having worked with renowned filmmaker V. Shantaram. Anantrao worked as an assistant cinematographer in V. Shantaram’s famous “Rajkamal Studio” in Mumbai. During his time in the film industry, he collaborated on several major film projects, including the classic films Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje and Amar Bhupali.

After spending time in Mumbai, Anantrao returned to Baramati and took over the family’s farming business and later became vice-chairman of the Chhatrapati Cooperative Sugar Factory. While his brother Sharad Pawar entered politics early, Anantrao’s career in cinema was a short, isolated chapter before he got involved in local cooperative work.

After the death of Ajit’s father, he was left with no option but to leave his studies and take up the responsibility of his family.

Ajit Pawar Education Qualification: A very sad news has come out from the politics of Maharashtra. State Deputy Chief Minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash. This incident has shocked the entire country. After his demise, people are not only remembering his political contribution, but also want to know how educated Ajit Pawar was and how, after overcoming struggles, he traveled to the pinnacle of power.

According to reports, Ajit Pawar was born in an ordinary farmer family. He was the nephew of NCP founder Sharad Pawar, but his identity in politics was not limited to just the family name. Grassroots politics, command over organization and administrative experience made him one of the most influential leaders of Maharashtra.

Education?

Ajit Pawar, who is counted among the big and experienced leaders of Maharashtra politics, had his early education from Baramati only. He passed 12th (HSC) examination from Maharashtra Education Secondary High School, Baramati in the year 1973-74. Since his student days, Ajit Pawar was inclined towards social and public life, which later took him to active politics.

Entry and strong hold in politics

Ajit Pawar joined politics at an early age. He started with organizational work and gradually started connecting with the public. His working style, ability to take quick decisions and administrative understanding made him one of the important leaders of the party.

Became Deputy Chief Minister 6 times, made a record

Ajit Pawar was the leader who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the longest period. He held the responsibility of Deputy CM 6 times during non-consecutive tenure. He was the Deputy Chief Minister in the governments of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, which is a big political record in itself.

What did DGCA say?

A major plane accident has come to light in Baramati, Maharashtra. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Learjet-45 aircraft of VSR operator crashed during crash landing. This accident happened when the plane was trying to land at Baramati airport.

Also read – UGC New Rules: Why are general category students protesting against the new UGC rules? Know the whole matter

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