Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed deep grief over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar following a fatal aircraft crash at Baramati airport, describing the senior
leader as a mass-based politician with a lifelong commitment to public service.
In a post on X, PM Modi paid tribute to Pawar’s political career and administrative acumen, writing, “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.”
Calling the loss sudden and devastating, the Prime Minister added, “His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti.”
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… pic.twitter.com/mdgwwGzw4R
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 28, 2026
The Prime Minister’s message came shortly after authorities confirmed that a Learjet 45 aircraft carrying Pawar and four others had crashed while landing at Baramati airport, killing everyone on board.
News agency PTI quoted a senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as saying that the aircraft was carrying five persons in total, including Pawar, two accompanying staff members and two crew members.
The DGCA further said that initial information suggested there were no survivors.
“According to initial information, no person on board survived the crash,” the official added.
A team of DGCA officials was dispatched to the site of the accident to assess the circumstances surrounding the crash and to initiate a detailed investigation.
Ajit Pawar, who was serving as the state’s Deputy Chief Minister, had long been a key figure in Maharashtra politics and was known for his administrative roles and electoral influence across several regions of the state.
