Ajit Pawar plane crash: From CDS Bipin Rawat, Netaji Bose to Sanjay Gandhi, list of famous personalities who died in aviation disaster

Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash near Baramati, Pune during landing today morning. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar along with six other passengers died, DGCA confirmed as visuals of the crash show the plane engulfed in fire. The tragedy adds to a somber list of Indian leaders lost in aviation accidents, including CDS Bipin Rawat, Sanjay Gandhi, and YSR. Here is a list of leaders whose lives were cut short in aviation disasters.

Ajit Pawar – Baramati Crash, January 28, 2026

Ajit Pawar, 66, Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP leader, died on January 28, 2026, when his aircraft crashed during landing in Baramati. He was en route to attend a party event ahead of Zilla Parishad elections. All six on board, including crew and aides, perished. DGCA confirmed no survivors. Visuals show the plane fully engulfed in fire.

Also Read: Ajit Pawar dead after plane crash-lands in Baramati

General Bipin Rawat – India’s First CDS

On December 8, 2021, General Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, died in a Mi-17V-5 helicopter crash in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. His wife and 11 others also perished. The cause was attributed to CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) due to weather. The IAF inquiry cited "human error" due to spatial disorientation in cloud cover, marking one of the deadliest military aviation losses in recent history.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose – The Final Flight

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is officially reported to have died on August 18, 1945, in a plane crash in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. The Japanese bomber carrying him crashed shortly after takeoff due to an engine failure, with a propeller blade breaking off. Bose sustained severe third-degree burns, was rushed to Nanmon Military Hospital, and died the same evening. He was cremated on August 22. Multiple inquiries, including the Shah Nawaz Committee (1956) and Khosla Commission (1970), support this version, though the Mukherjee Commission (2005) disputed it, fueling enduring mystery.

Sanjay Gandhi – The Lost Heir

Sanjay Gandhi, son of PM Indira Gandhi, died on June 23, 1980, at age 33, when his Pitts S-2A stunt plane crashed in Delhi’s Diplomatic Enclave. He was performing aerobatics without proper clearance. His death left a political vacuum and altered India’s succession trajectory.

Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy – Andhra’s Beloved CM

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy died on September 2, 2009, when his Bell 430 helicopter crashed in dense Nallamala forest during bad weather. His body was found 27 hours later. The tragedy led to massive public outpouring and political upheaval in the state.

Also Read: Ajit Pawar Death Live Updates: Maharashtra Deputy CM, 3 others on board dead after aircraft crashes in Baramati

G.M.C. Balayogi – Youngest Lok Sabha Speaker

G.M.C. Balayogi, the youngest and only Dalit Lok Sabha Speaker, died on March 3, 2002, in a helicopter crash in Andhra Pradesh. He died in West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, after the pilot attempted an emergency landing in a pond. He was traveling to attend a political rally. The crash highlighted risks in VIP air travel during poor visibility.

Madhavrao Scindia – Royal Turned Politician

Veteran Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia died on September 30, 2001, when his Cessna 441 crashed near Kanpur. He died in a crash in Mota village, near Mainpuri (UP), while traveling to an election rally. A respected parliamentarian, his death was a major loss to national politics.

Dorjee Khandu – Arunachal’s Missing CM

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu went missing on April 30, 2011, when his helicopter vanished in mountainous terrain. His Pawan Hans AS350 B3 helicopter went missing on April 30, 2011, and was found near Luguthang. His body was found five days later near the China border. The incident exposed challenges in high-altitude rescue operations.

O.P. Jindal – Industrialist & Minister

O.P. Jindal, Haryana’s Power Minister and steel magnate, died on March 2, 2005, when his helicopter crashed near Saharanpur due to technical failure. His death impacted both state politics and India’s industrial landscape.