Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar died on January 28. He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and their two sons — Parth and Jay.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar died on January 28 after the aircraft he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land at Baramati in Maharashtra. He was 66. Pawar is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and their two sons — Parth and Jay.

Ajit Pawar’s family tree

Ajit Pawar belonged to one of Maharashtra’s most influential political families — one that shaped the state’s legacy and policies over decades. He was born in 1959 in Deolali Pravara, Ahmednagar district, into a family deeply rooted in farming and cooperative institutions. His grandparents, Govindrao and Sharda Pawar, were active in agriculture and local cooperatives, laying the groundwork for the family’s political influence.At the centre of this influential political family is Sharad Pawar, born in 1940 in Baramati, a small town in western Maharashtra. Pawar’s political career spans over six decades, during which he has served three terms as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and held important Union Cabinet positions, including Agriculture and Defence.

Ajit carved his own political path while closely working with his uncle, Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1991 from the Baramati Parliamentary constituency. He later vacated the seat for his uncle.

When Sharad formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 1999, Ajit joined him and quickly became one of its most powerful leaders. At 40, he became the youngest Cabinet Minister in the Vilasrao Deshmukh government, managing irrigation, and gradually built a strong base in western Maharashtra through cooperatives and local institutions.

However, their relationship became contentious later. While Sharad Pawar’s style was consensus-driven, Ajit became known for his assertive and sometimes confrontational approach, which led to occasional tensions within the family. Sharad’s daughter, Supriya Sule, also joined politics, raising questions about succession.

The divide became official in 2023, when Ajit broke from Sharad’s faction of the NCP to join the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance and became Deputy Chief Minister. This move marked a historic split in the Pawar family’s political legacy.

As the NCP party split into two factions, a battle emerged over who would use the party symbol and name. After a legal battle, the Supreme Court of India gave judgement in favour of the faction led by Ajit Pawar, which was allowed the use of the “NCP” name. Subsequently, the Sharad Pawar led faction formed the NCP (SP).