Ajit Pawar dead: Who is NCP chief's wife Sunetra Pawar? A look at Maharashtra Deputy CM's personal life, family and more

Ajit Anantrao Pawar, popularly known as 'Dada' and a prominent and influential figure in Maharashtra politics, died in a plane crash in Pune's Baramati on Wednesday morning. The 66-year-old was traveling to Baramati from Mumbai to address public meetings when the aircraft carrying them crashed at 8.50 am, a police official told news agency PTI. Known for his administrative efficiency and blunt speaking style, Ajit Pawar was one of the longest serving deputy chief ministers of Maharashtra, and even earned a moniker 'forever Deputy CM'. Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar and his two sons- Jay and Parth.

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Ajit Pawar's wife and children

Ajit Pawar was married to Sunetra Pawar, who is also active in social and political work in Baramati. Sunetra Pawar, daughter of former Maharashtra minister Padamsinh Bajirao Patil, was regarded as a steady and influential presence in his political life. In 2024, Ajit Pawar fielded his wife Sunetra against his cousin Supriya Sule in Baramati in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a decision he later admitted was a mistake. "I love all my sisters. One shouldn't allow politics to enter homes. I made a mistake in fielding Sunetra against my sister,” Ajit Pawar had said in an interview to a Marathi news channel. Supriya Sule, daughter of Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar, had defeated Sunetra by a margin of around 1.5 lakh votes.




Later on, Sunetra Pawar from the NCP was elected Rajya Sabha member unopposed. The bypoll was necessitated after NCP leader Praful Patel vacated his seat and switched to another berth in the Rajya Sabha. Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar had two sons, Parth Pawar, who entered politics and ran in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Maval constituency but faced a significant defeat. On the other hand, Jay Pawar chose to pursue business interests and kept a low public profile, although he remained closely connected to the family's political activities.

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A look at Ajit Pawar's family

Ajit Pawar is the nephew of Sharad Pawar, a four-time Maharashtra Chief Minister and former Union Minister and was a part of undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) till 2019. But, in the same year, Ajit Pawar briefly broke away from the NCP, forming a government with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. The government collapsed within three days, yet Ajit Pawar emerged stronger, later serving as Deputy CM in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and subsequently joining the Shinde-BJP alliance in 2023.

Ajit Pawar served as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra (his 6th non-consecutive term) in the Mahayuti government and was the National President of the NCP.He represented the Baramati Assembly constituency seven consecutive times since 1991, winning by massive margins every time. His power base was rooted in Maharashtra’s cooperative sector.

'Dada' served as chairman of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank (PDC) for 16 years and wielded significant influence over sugar cooperatives and milk unions. Over the years, he has handled nearly every key ministerial portfolio in Maharashtra—including Water Resources, Power and Rural Development—under successive Chief Ministers such as Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan and Uddhav Thackeray. Ajit Pawar then served as Baramati MLA for eight terms from 1991.

ALSO READ: Ajit Pawar's final words before death in plane crash: Maharashtra Deputy CM's last post on X was just an hour ago and was a tribute

Ajit Pawar no more

Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning. The crash landing of Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati, his hometurf. Pawar, 66, and four other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed near his hometown Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning, officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the death of Maharasthra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash was untimely and very shocking. In a post on X, Modi said Ajit Pawar was a leader of the people with a strong grassroots level connect.

"Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra.

"His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti," Modi said.

(With PTI inputs)