Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar laid to rest with full state honours in Baramati

The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar were performed with full state honours on Thursday in his hometown of Baramati, following his tragic death in a plane crash on Wednesday.

The mortal remains of Ajit Pawar, 66, were brought to his Katewadi residence and later taken to the Vidya Pratishthan ground, where family members and well-wishers gathered to pay their final respects. Pawar’s sons, Parth and Jay, lit the funeral pyre and performed the last rites in accordance with family traditions.

A large number of supporters and residents assembled at the venue to pay homage, with many expressing deep sorrow at the loss of the seasoned leader.

National And State Leaders Attend

Several prominent national and state leaders also paid their respects in Baramati. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP President Nitin Nabin, and other political dignitaries were among those present at the ceremony.

Authorities had deployed significant security personnel outside Baramati airport ahead of the arrivals of dignitaries expected to attend the funeral.

Plane Crash And Mourning

Ajit Pawar’s death occurred when a mid-size chartered business jet carrying him and four others crashed at Baramati Airport on Wednesday morning. He had been en route from Mumbai to Baramati to address rallies ahead of rural body elections. Along with Pawar, the pilots Sumit Kapoor and Shambhavi Pathak, flight attendant Pinky Mali, and his personal security officer Vidhit Jadhav were also killed in the crash.

Legacy And Public Response

Born on 22 July 1959 to Asha and Anantrao Pawar, Ajit Pawar began his political career in 1982 and later served eight terms as the MLA from Baramati. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991 and vacated the seat for his uncle, veteran leader Sharad Pawar, who became a Union minister. Pawar went on to become Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister a record six times, serving under chief ministers Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha member, and his two sons, Jay and Parth.

State Mourning

The Maharashtra government declared a three-day period of state mourning after his death, with flags flown at half-mast and official events cancelled as a mark of respect.