Pune: The nation bid farewell on Thursday to Maharashtra’s longest non-consecutively serving Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Anantrao Pawar. A massive funeral was held in Baramati, around 100 kilometres from Pune -- where Maharashtra’s beloved “Dada” began his political journey and where it came to an end as well.
Amid a sea of grieving supporters and a virtual “who’s who” of Indian politics, Ajit Pawar was cremated with full state honours at the Vidya Pratishthan sports ground in Baramati. The atmosphere in his hometown was heavy with sorrow as lakhs of people gathered to bid adieu to the leader they affectionately called “Dada”.
The funeral resonated with emotional chants of “Ajit Dada Parat Ya” (Ajit Dada, come back) and “Ajit Pawar Amar Rahe” (Ajit Pawar shall live on). An estimated two to three lakh people, including workers of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and members of the public, were present to accompany Ajit Pawar on his final journey.
Born on July 22, 1959, in Deolali Pravara village of Rahuri tehsil in Ahilyanagar district, Ajit Pawar was 66 years, six months, and six days old at the time of his death. On Wednesday, around 8:44 AM, a business jet carrying Pawar on an air charter flight from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai to Baramati Airport in Maharashtra crashed while attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport Runway 11.
The aircraft veered off the runway, burst into flames, and was destroyed on impact, resulting in the deaths of Pawar and four others on board.
The Timeline of the Final Journey
- 07:00 AM: The mortal remains were brought to Ajit Pawar’s ancestral residence in Katewadi from the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Government Medical College.
- 08:30 AM: A massive funeral procession (Antyayatra) began, winding through the streets of Baramati.
- 10:15 AM: The procession reached the Vidya Pratishthan ground. Despite the massive crowd (estimated at over 2-3 lakhs). The city maintained an eerie, disciplined silence, broken only by chants of "Ajit Dada Amar Rahe!"
- 12:08 PM: The final rites were performed. His sons, Parth and Jay Pawar, lit the funeral pyre.
A vast number of dignitaries were in attendance, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President Nitin Nabin, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Goa CM Dr Pramod Sawant, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, and Union Minister of State Ramdas Athawale.
Other notable attendees included Shivendrasinh Raje Bhosale, Shambhuraj Desai, Pratap Jadhav, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Meghna Bordikar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Raj Thackeray, and Uddhav Thackeray.
Also Dhananjay Munde, Hasan Mushrif, Chagan Bhujbal, Chandrakant Patil, Murlidhar Mohol, Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh, C.M. Ramesh, Raksha Khadse, Madhuri Misal, Aditi Tatkare, Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Ganesh Naik, Pankaja Munde, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Jayant Patil, Ravindra Chavan, Ashok Chavan, Harshvardhan Sapkal, Shashikant Shinde, Girish Mahajan, Mahadev Jankar, Jaykumar Gore, Dr. Amol Kolhe, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Riteish Deshmukh, Narhari Zirwal, Rahul Kul, Dattatray Bharne, Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil, Makarand Patil, Vijay Shivtare, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Sanjay Rathod, Rajendra Gawai, Shrikant Shinde, Dr. Pritam Munde, Nivedita Mane, Rajesh Tope, Sachin Ahir, Satish Chavan, DGP Sadanand Date, and State Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and others.
As soon as the news broke, not only dignitaries but also people from across the state rushed to Baramati using any available means of transport. Huge traffic was seen on the roads leading to Baramati from Pune. All the lodges and hotels in Pune and Satara saw many people staying on Wednesday night. From Wednesday evening to Thursday afternoon, there was a rush of people going to Baramati.
In light of this, unprecedented police security was deployed in Baramati city and the surrounding areas. A force of 11,000 personnel, including police from Pune City, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune Rural, Thane, Kolhapur, and Satara, along with the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), was stationed. Separate traffic planning was also implemented to ensure a smooth flow of vehicles.
Ajit Pawar's Final Journey | Anand Chaini
Discipline Maintained by Baramati Residents
During the funeral, a crowd of lakhs gathered at the Vidya Pratishthan ground. Despite the massive numbers, the citizens paid tribute to their beloved “Dada” with immense discipline. They didn't make any chaos or commotion except for time-to-time slogans raised in Ajit Pawar’s name.
Fans had begun crowding the ground as early as 5:00 AM. As the time for the final rites approached, the gathering swelled further. Everyone wished to catch a final glimpse of Ajit Pawar. Digital screens were installed around the ground and outside to ensure everyone could witness the final darshan.
Prominent leaders avoided speaking to the media after the funeral. All of them went quietly and departed without making any comments about the funeral. It was speculated that PM Narendra Modi would also come to the funeral on Thursday, but it was revealed in the morning that only Home Minister Amit Shah will come.
Everyone who spoke to the media had memories of their beloved Dada to share. Local office-bearers and leaders who attended the funeral were unable to hold back their tears. Many expressed gratitude for the memories and the opportunities given to them by the late Deputy Chief Minister.
Family’s Silent Mourning
Sharad Pawar, the family patriarch and uncle of the late Deputy Chief Minister, sat quietly during the final rites. It felt like he was witnessing the end of a political legacy he had helped build. Ajit Pawar’s younger brother Shriniwas Pawar, his sisters, and other family members, including cousin Abhijit Pawar, also paid their last respects.
Ajit Pawar’s cousin, Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, stood beside Ajit Pawar’s wife, Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar. Sule was seen offering quiet support to Sunetra Pawar as she paid tribute to her late husband.
While emotional visuals of his nephews, Yugendra Pawar and Rohit Pawar, breaking down had gone viral since Wednesday, the family remained largely silent during Thursday’s funeral. Relatives and close friends were seen quietly consoling one another.
Throughout the ceremony, announcements over loudspeakers appealed to the gathering to maintain silence and discipline. The speakers described it as the greatest tribute to Ajit Pawar, who was known for his strict sense of order.
CM Fadnavis Writes to Union Ministry
CM Devendra Fadnavis has sought a detailed probe into the aircraft crash near Baramati that claimed the lives of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others. In response, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu assured that the Government of India is treating the matter with utmost seriousness. A formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in accordance with laid-down rules.
Teams from the AAIB and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reached the crash site promptly, and the aircraft’s black box has been recovered for detailed analysis. Authorities said the probe will be conducted in a transparent, thorough, and time-bound manner, examining all technical, operational, and site-related evidence to determine the sequence of events and contributing factors.
The ministry has also acknowledged the request to prevent such incidents in the future and said safety and regulatory measures will be implemented based on the investigation’s findings, with cooperation sought from the Maharashtra government.
Baramati Mourning Ajit Pawar's Death | Anand Chaini
The Death of 'Dada': What We Know
Ajit Pawar died on 28th January 2026 when the Learjet 45XR business jet he was travelling in crashed near Baramati Airport in Pune district. The aircraft (registration VT-SSK) was chartered from Mumbai for local election engagements. According to available details, the aircraft was attempting a second landing in poor visibility when it veered off the runway, burst into flames and was destroyed on impact.
All five people onboard, including Pawar, two pilots and two security staff, were killed, with no survivors. Preliminary reports and visual footage show the plane lost control during descent before exploding, and investigators have recovered the aircraft's black box to determine the crash’s cause. Authorities, including the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, are probing the incident, with factors like weather and landing challenges under review.
