Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died along with four others on board after the aircraft they were travelling in crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district on January 28, 2026.

The aircraft was cleared for landing at Baramati after multiple attempts, but moments after receiving clearance, it failed to respond to air traffic control and burst into flames near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board.

A towering figure in Maharashtra politics, Pawar remained influential for over four decades. Known fondly as “Ajit Dada” among supporters, he was the state’s longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister — earning him the tag “Forever Deputy CM.” We look back at his political journey.

Video Producer: Mayank Chawla
Video Editor: Rajbir Singh