Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar's politically arranged union transitioned into a decades-long bond of love and trust, which ended with his untimely demise.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleIt's been six months since the death of Ajit Pawar, and his family is still not over the grief. July 22, 2026 marks the birthday of the former NCP leader and Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, who would have turned 67 had he not passed away untimely. He died in a plane crash at Baramati on January 28, 2026. A total of six people lost their lives in the mishap, with Ajit Pawar being identified as one of them. Amid the heartbreak his family is going through, here's everything we know about his wife, Sunetra and their children.
Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar's story started with an arranged marriage setup. The connection between Sunetra and Ajit's families was deeply rooted in political alliances. Sunetra's sister, Padamsinh Patil, was a very close aide to Ajit's uncle, Sharad Pawar. It was the strong professional and personal friendship between Sharad Pawar and Padamsinh Patil that eventually led to the two families deciding to take their bond to the familial level through the wedding of Ajit and Sunetra. The couple tied the knot on December 30, 1985.
Ajit and Sunetra's relationship was one for the books. In an era where love marriages fail to stand the test of time, they transformed their politically arranged union into a bond of love and trust. The couple stayed together for four decades until his death. Ajit and Sunetra were blessed with two kids during their marriage, sons Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar. The elder son, Parth Pawar, ventured into politics while his brother, Jay Pawar, manages family business operations in Mumbai and Baramati.
To support the Pawar family and its influence in the Indian political scene, Jay contested the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, campaigning for his parents. He recently got married to Rituja Patil in a grand ceremony in Bahrain in December 2025. Tragically, just a month after Rituja joined the Pawar family, her father-in-law, Ajit Pawar, passed away. Following his sudden demise, his widow Sunetra played an increasingly central role in the family's political and social legacy.
Talking about Sunetra Pawar, she is a prominent Indian politician from Maharashtra. She was born in 1963 and is 62 years old, as of July 2026. Often referred to as 'Vahini' in Maharashtra, Sunetra has recently transitioned from a background in social work and business to active national politics. She was her husband's biggest support both in his personal and professional life. Sunetra is currently serving as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, representing Maharashtra, having been elected unopposed in June 2024.
Ajit Pawar's death separated him from his better half, Sunetra Pawar. He passed away on January 28, 2026, after his chartered aircraft crashed in Pune's Baramati region. The former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister was traveling in a Learjet 45 (Registration: VT-SSK) operated by VSR. The crash occurred around 8:45 a.m. IST at the Baramati Airport runway while the aircraft was attempting to land. The plane reportedly faced difficulties during touchdown, leading to the crash.
Reports from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that all the people on board, including Ajit Pawar and five others, died in the mishap. The Indian politician was en route from Mumbai to Baramati to address a public meeting related to the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections.
Local police, fire brigades, and NDRF teams were deployed to the crash site to extinguish the fire and conduct rescue operations. While a technical malfunction in the plane was suspected, the DGCA launched a formal investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
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