Who Is Ajit Pawar's Daughter-In-Law, Rutuja Patil? Everything To Know About Jay Pawar's US Grad Wife

The entire state of Maharashtra is mourning the tragic death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on January 28, 2026. The politician, 66, was travelling in a private aircraft en route to Baramati from Maharashtra when it crashed on landing. Moments after the crash, the chartered plane exploded and was engulfed in fire, killing Pawar and four other people on board.

Amid this unexpected loss, the attention has turned to the bereaved family he leaves behind, including a new member who was recently welcomed by the late politician. We are talking about Rutuja Patil, the wife of Ajit Pawar's younger son, Jay Pawar, who officially became a member of the Pawar family just a month ago.

Jay Pawar and Rutuja Patil's private wedding

It has been only over a month since Ajit Pawar and his wife, Sunetra Pawar, welcomed their daughter-in-law, Rutuja Patil, into the family. After a grand engagement in April 2025, Jay and Rutuja tied the knot in a dreamy destination wedding on December 5. The wedding took place in a luxury property in the Ritz-Carlton, Manama, Bahrain, and was reportedly attended by 400 guests, including some high-profile figures from the political and business fields. The couple later shared photos from the wedding with a joint post on Instagram, with a short and sweet caption, "Married my bestie".

Following Ajit Pawar's death, curiosity has grown around Rutuja, with users looking her up on social media and flooding her recent post with heartfelt condolences. Read on to know everything about the grieving daughter-in-law of the Pawar family.

Who is Rutuja Patil?

Rutuja has largely steered clear of the spotlight until now. She hails from Phaltan in Satara district, and she comes from a well-established business family. For those unaware, Rutuja is the daughter of renowned businessman Pravin Patil, founder of ElevateEdge Consulting Group, a company known for its digital campaigning and social media activities.

All her family connections aside, Rutuja has made an identity for herself in the academic field. She holds a global educational background, graduating with a Bachelor of Design degree from Los Angeles, U.S. Not many details about her academic background are publicly available, but we do know that she briefly worked at Adfactors PR, one of India’s most prominent public relations firms, before joining her father’s consultancy.

Just like Jay Pawar, Rutuja Patil is also not involved in politics, though her profession is closely tied to politics. According to reports, her father's firm, ElevateEdge Consulting Group, closely worked with the Pawars, managing the family's digital outreach and campaign strategy for Ajit and Sunetra Pawar during the 2024 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections. 

If reports from insiders are to be believed, Rutuja has become a quiet but influential presence in the Pawar ecosystem, playing an active role behind the scenes in managing social media pages and planning digital campaigns.

Jay Pawar and Rutuja Patil's love story

Jay Pawar, the younger son of Ajit Pawar, has long avoided electoral politics and has instead focused on various business ventures. Over the years, Rutuja has stood by Jay and supported him. While little is known about when and how they met, insiders say the couple has been together for a long time before tying the knot.

According to reports, Jay Pawar largely focused on his family business in Dubai, where he led several family-related operations until the NCP split in 2023. Since then, Jay has stepped into a more visible role, actively campaigning for his mother, Sunetra Pawar, and supporting his dad, Ajit Pawar, during the 2024 elections.

With Jay and Rutuja's marital union, fans believe they perfectly represent a new-generation Pawar pairing after Ajit and Sunetra Pawar. Together, they form a business-minded pair that's increasingly engaged with grassroots-level political work, albeit away from the spotlight. 

The Pawar family has gracefully welcomed Rutuja

All political rifts aside, the extended Pawar clan has publicly welcomed Rutuja Patil with nothing but love. Senior NCP leader Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar's cousin, shared happy family photos from Jay and Rutuja's engagement and wedding. After their engagement, the NCP leader wrote on social media:

"So happy for our Jay, and a warm welcome to Rutuja! Congratulations to both of you! Stay happy and blessed."

More about the Pawar family

Ajit 'Dada' Pawar was one of the most influential politicians in Maharashtra. A nephew of NCP founder Sharad Pawar, Ajit was elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati in 1991 and, in 1999, he became the Deputy CM of Maharashtra. Over the years, the politician 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.

The Pawar clan is one of the most well-known political families in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, 62, is also a politician and social worker who has been representing Maharashtra as an MP since June 18, 2024. At the heart of the Pawar political dynasty is Sharad Pawar, the 85-year-old founder of the NCP and one of Maharashtra’s most influential strategists. Alongside him, his daughter Supriya Sule has represented Baramati in Parliament for years, while Ajit Pawar emerged as a parallel centre of authority within the family.

In the wake of Ajit Pawar’s death, Rutuja Patil remains largely out of public view. As Maharashtra reflects on the legacy of Ajit Pawar, Rutuja Patil’s quiet presence underscores a new chapter for the Pawar family.

Read Next: Who Are Ajit Pawar's Sons? Inside Their Lives After The Maharashtra Deputy CM's Fatal Plane Crash

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