The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will be performed with full state honours, the Maharashtra General Administration Department (Protocol) said on Wednesday.
Trustee of Vidya Pratisthan, Kiran said that Pawar’s last rites will be performed tomorrow at 11 am. “Today, Ajit Pawar’s body will be kept at the Vidya Pratisthan ground for last darshan. The last rites will be held tomorrow at 11 am,” he told ANI.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar died in a chartered plane crash this morning while on his way to Baramati from Mumbai. Pawar was going to Baramati to campaign for the district panchayat elections.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declared a holiday and three-day mourning in the state following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
During the three-day mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half mast on all buildings across Maharashtra where it is regularly flown. No government entertainment program will be organized during this period. All state government offices across Maharashtra will remain closed on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
Addressing reporters, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the decision regarding Pawar’s last rites would be taken after consultation with his family.
Expressing grief over the demise of Ajit Pawar, Fadnavis said that there is a wave of mourning in the entire Maharashtra. He remembered Pawar as a hard-working leader and appreciated his contribution to the state.
Describing the tragic incident as a personal loss, Devendra Fadnavis said, “Ajit Dada was a hard-working leader and did not waver under any circumstances. This is a difficult day for Maharashtra. Such leadership takes time to develop. He has made a significant contribution to the development of Maharashtra. His demise is shocking and for me it is a personal loss; a friend has left me. It is a huge loss for the family.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Ajit Pawar’s uncle, veteran politician Sharad Sharad, and expressed his condolences.
The accident occurred around 8.48 am and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have sent investigation teams to the crash site for investigation.
Ajit Pawar was the longest serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, although this tenure was not continuous. He held the post of Deputy Chief Minister six times in different governments. He served as Deputy Chief Minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.
He is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar and two sons Jai and Parth Pawar.
