Pawar Family Tree From Sharad Pawar To Ajit Pawar: How One Family Came To Dominate Maharashtra Politics & What Happens Next?

Pune: The Pawar family is one of the most famous and influential political families in Maharashtra, if not the biggest. However, on Wednesday, one of its key members and the state’s beloved leader, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, died in a plane crash.

The Pawar family founded the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which witnessed a split in 2023 followed by a fragile reunion in 2026, just weeks before Ajit Pawar’s death. As the leader who had triggered the party’s split, his passing has created a huge void -- not only within the Pawar family but also in Maharashtra’s political landscape.

There is little argument that Sharad Pawar is the most important and well-known member of the Pawar family. He was the one who began the family’s formal journey in politics. Having served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra multiple times, the 85-year-old leader also had several successful stints at the Centre.

If Sharad Pawar’s generation is considered the first generation of the well-known Pawar family tree (as most people believe), the second generation was led by the late Ajit Pawar, the longest non-consecutively serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar’s political style differed significantly from that of his uncle, both in approach and temperament. While Sharad Pawar is widely seen as mature and calculated, Ajit Pawar was more candid and fiery in his politics.

With Ajit Pawar’s death and Sharad Pawar’s advancing age, the entire country is curious about the Pawar family’s roots and the future it holds in Indian politics. To understand this better, a look at the Pawar family tree needs to be taken.

Pawar Family’s Roots in Agriculture, Cooperatives & Social Reforms

Sharad Pawar was the family member who broke the ceiling for the Pawars in terms of political influence and statewide relevance. To understand his roots, it is important to know about his parents, Govindrao Pawar and Shardabai Pawar.

Govindrao was a pioneer of the cooperative movement in Baramati, while Shardabai served as a member of the Pune Local Board as early as 1938. The couple had 11 children, with seven sons and four daughters.

The First Generation (The Roots)

1) Vasantrao Pawar: A lawyer (deceased).
2) Dinkarrao Pawar: An agriculturist and recipient of the Padma Shri. (Deceased)
3) Anantrao Pawar: He worked in the film industry (Rajkamal Studios), and he was the father of Ajit Pawar. (Deceased)
4) Madhavrao Pawar: Industrialist (Deceased).
5) Suryakant Pawar: Architect.
6) Sharad Pawar: Former CM of Maharashtra, former Union Minister, and NCP founder.
7) Pratap Pawar: Chairman of Sakal Media Group and Padma Shri recipient
8) Sarla Jagtap: Daughter.
9) Saroj Patil: Daughter (wife of left leader N.D. Patil).
10) Meena Jagdhane: Daughter.
11) Neela Sasane: Daughter.

The Second Generation (The Pillars)

While Sharad Pawar became the national face, his siblings established the family's influence in media, agriculture, and business.

1) Sharad Pawar & Pratibha Pawar: Supriya Sule -- Their only daughter.
2) Anantrao Pawar & Ashatai Pawar: Ajit Pawar (Former Deputy CM of Maharashtra; deceased Jan 28, 2026), Shriniwas Pawar (Businessman), Vijaya Patil (Daughter; deceased 2017).
3) Dinkarrao Pawar: Rajendra Pawar (businessman and agriculturist)
4) Pratap Pawar: Abhijit Pawar (Managing Director of Sakal Media Group)

The Third Generation (The Emerging Leaders)

The family’s third generation is currently divided between different political factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

1) Branch of Sharad Pawar:

- Supriya Sule & Sadanand Sule: Revati Sule and Vijay Sule.

2) Branch of Anantrao Pawar:

- Ajit Pawar & Sunetra Pawar (Rajya Sabha MP): Parth Pawar (contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Maval) and Jay Pawar (involved in family business and youth outreach)

3) Branch of Dinkarrao Pawar (via Rajendra Pawar):

- Rohit Pawar (grand-nephew of Sharad Pawar, current MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed, and owner of Baramati Agro)

4) Branch of Shriniwas Pawar (Ajit Pawar's Brother):

Yugendra Pawar (grand-nephew of Sharad Pawar. He famously contested against his uncle, Ajit Pawar, in the 2024 Baramati Assembly elections but lost.)

What Is Next?

Members of the Pawar family’s second generation remain active in politics, with Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar holding key positions at the Centre. Sunetra Pawar is a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, while Supriya Sule represents Baramati in the Lok Sabha. However, the second generation was led by Ajit Pawar, and with his death, the question of who will emerge as the family’s political face now looms large.

The Pawar family’s third generation has also entered politics. Rohit Pawar has already made his mark in Maharashtra’s political landscape and is increasingly being seen as a relevant state-level leader. He is currently an MLA from the Karjat-Jamkhed Assembly Constituency in Ahilyanagar District. While Yugendra Pawar is actively involved in local politics in Baramati.

Ajit Pawar’s son, Parth Pawar, is also politically active. He famously contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Maval constituency but lost. Since then, Parth Pawar has been involved in party affairs, frequently travelling across Maharashtra and engaging with NCP officials.

With the second generation’s leadership now absent, there is a growing expectation that one of the third-generation leaders will step up. Many believe Rohit Pawar could carry the Pawar family’s political legacy forward, under the guidance of senior leaders such as Supriya Sule, Sunetra Pawar, and Sharad Pawar -- much like Ajit Pawar himself began his political journey under the mentorship of senior members of the family.