With Ajit Pawar's sudden death, the attention has shifted on his grieving family, especially his sons, Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar.
The country woke up to the devastating news that Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, is no more. The 66-year-old politician was one of the five victims of the fatal plane crash that happened in Baramati on Wednesday morning, January 28, 2026. Pawar and five others were killed when the chartered plane carrying them crashed while attempting to land in Baramati.
Ajit Pawar's sudden demise has sent shockwaves through the political fraternity, including his party members and the opposition. Amid the flood of condolences, the attention has shifted to the legendary Pawar family, particularly his two sons, Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar, whose lives have now irrevocably shaped by this unexpected tragedy.
Parth Pawar is the eldest of the Pawar brothers. Long before his father's accident, Parth had followed in his footsteps in politics. In 2019, Parth briefly stepped into electoral politics, contesting the Lok Sabha election from Maval, though he suffered a significant defeat. While the loss was a setback in his political career, Parth has since remained a known face in grassroots-level politics. However, he has largely steered clear of active political roles. Although he never publicly mentioned any interest in re-entering electoral politics, it remains to be seen what his next step will be following Ajit Pawar's tragic demise.
Unlike his brother, Jay Pawar has maintained a relatively lower public profile and has avoided any political association. He is better known for his involvement in the family's business and other interests, rather than electoral politics. Given his lack of public appearance, Jay has remained largely shielded from the spotlight, unlike his father and elder brother. However, close sources and the extended Pawar family describe Jay as a steady presence in their lives. In December 2025, Jay Pawar married his long-time partner, Rutuja Patil.
Ajit 'Dada' Pawar was one of the most influential politicians in Maharashtra and a powerful NCP leader. A nephew of Sharad Pawar, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati in 1991 and, in 1999, became the Deputy CM of Maharashtra. In his decades-long tenure, he held multiple roles in politics, including Deputy CM, Finance Minister, and Water Resources Minister. Until his death, he had been serving as Deputy CM in the coalition government.
Besides Ajit Pawar and his sons, the extended Pawar family is one of the oldest and most well-known clans in Maharashtra's political circles. The late Deputy CM's wife, Sunetra Pawar, 62, is also a politician and social worker with an active public life. A representative of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), she has been representing Maharashtra as an MP since June 18, 2024.
At the centre of the political dynasty stands Sharad Pawar, the 85-year-old veteran politician and the founder and reigning President of NCP, who has remained one of Maharashtra's most prominent political figures. For decades, Sharad Pawar’s political acumen has made the Pawar surname a symbol of power and strategy. Another key figure in the family is Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar's cousin and Sharad Pawar's daughter, who has represented Baramati in the Lok Sabha for years. Together, Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, and Ajit Pawar formed parallel centres of influence within the family.
On January 28, 2026, Ajit Pawar was travelling in a VSR-operated Bombardier Learjet 45 (VTSSK). The crash reportedly occurred around 8:45 a.m. IST at the Baramati Airport runway threshold while the aircraft was attempting to land. Initial reports from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Press Trust of India (PTI) confirmed that everyone on board, including the politician, the pilot, two other passengers, and a crew member, perished in the deadly crash.
Ajit Pawar was reportedly on his way from Mumbai to Baramati to address a public meeting related to the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections. Immediately after the crash, the local police, fire brigades, and NDRF teams were deployed to extinguish the fire and conduct rescue operations. Initial suspicion points to a technical malfunction, but the DGCA has launched a formal investigation to determine the exact cause. As tributes pour in from political leaders across party lines, the focus remains largely on the broader political void left by Ajit Pawar’s absence.
In this moment of state mourning, Parth and Jay Pawar carry not just their personal loss but the legacy of a political dynasty that has shaped decades of Maharashtra’s history. We offer our heartfelt condolences to the Pawar family.
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