Meet Sambhavi Pathak, The Pilot Who Lost Her Life In The Plane Crash With Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s recent demise has led to a lineup of tributes on social media. Ajit Pawar lost his life in a plane crash on January 28, 2026, along with four other people inside. The video of the destroyed aircraft has already gone viral, which shows the entire plane in flames. The incident happened when Pawar was on his way to Baramati for public meetings organised for his campaign as part of the upcoming elections, scheduled on February 5, 2026. The plane crash happened in Baramati, Maharashtra.

The circumstances leading to the incident remain under investigation, and further updates are awaited. Meanwhile, VK Singh, the owner of VSR Aviation, has revealed during an interview with India Today TV that the two pilots of the plane have also died. The identities of the pilots were revealed as Sumit Kapoor and Sambhavi Pathak. The incident reportedly happened when the plane was trying to land at Baramati airport. While reports of the accident continue creating headlines, keep reading to know more about Shambhavi Pathak, one of the deceased pilots.

Shambhavi Pathak started pursuing her dreams to fly in the air many years ago

A lot of details about Shambhavi Pathak’s early life have not been revealed yet, including the identities of her parents. According to Shambhavi’s LinkedIn profile, she went to the Air Force Bal Bharati School in 2016. She was also an Assistant Flight Instructor for Aviation at the Madhya Pradesh Flying Club. Furthermore, Shambhavi Pathak worked for the DGCA as a Frozen ATPL, also called an Airline Transport Pilot License. For the unversed, the title is given to a pilot who has passed the theory exams for the license but has not completed the 1,500 flight hours for a full ATPL.

Shambhavi Pathak went to New Zealand for her higher studies

Back in 2020, Shambhavi Pathak joined the University of Mumbai, pursuing her BSc in Aeronautics, Aviation, and Aerospace Science and Technology. Before her graduation in 2022, she underwent training as a flight crew and a commercial and professional pilot at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy between 2018 and 2019. Shambhavi Pathak was serving as the First Officer for VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. in Delhi since 2022.

Shambhavi Pathak earned various licenses and certifications in her career

According to Shambhavi Pathak’s LinkedIn profile, she received an (A) rating as a flight instructor. A commercial pilot license was issued to Shambhavi by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in 2020. The previous year, in 2019, she received the designation of the English Language Proficiency Level 6 by the International Civil Aviation Organization, followed by a CAA Commercial Pilot License from the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand. SpiceJet Limited issued her an Aviation Security License in 2022 along with the Jet Orientation Training certificate from Jordan Airline Training & Simulation.

Shambhavi Pathak was a co-pilot on the aircraft transporting Ajit Pawar

Shambhavi Pathak was a First Officer or co-pilot on the aircraft that had Ajit Pawar and everyone else who lost their lives in the crash. The plane was revealed to be a Learjet 45XR, and it was reportedly owned by VSR, where Shambhavi was working before her death. Shambhavi was tasked with helping the Pilot-in-Command to ensure that the aircraft operated without any trouble. Moreover, the other two individuals who died in the crash were Vidit Jadhav, the security officer of Ajit Pawar, alongside attendant Pinki Mali.

What are your thoughts on Shambhavi Pathak’s journey to becoming a pilot over the years? Let us know.

Also Read: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's Final Words, Posted On X, Minutes Before Dying In Plane Crash

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