Maharashtra Leaders Honor Late Ajit Pawar on Birth Anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior Maharashtra officials commemorated the birth anniversary of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on July 22 and 23, 2026. Modi praised Pawar's contributions to the development of Maharashtra, stating that the NDA government is working to realize his vision.

In Baramati, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar unveiled a full-length statue of her late husband and offered floral tributes at his memorial. She described the grief of observing the day as a jayanti, noting that her heart breaks while reflecting on their previous celebrations. The commemorations included a photographic exhibition of Pawar's career organized by the Nataraja Kala Mandal.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde lauded Pawar's administrative discipline and inclusive leadership, with Shinde identifying him as the architect of the Mahayuti alliance. These tributes follow the death of Ajit Pawar on January 28, 2026, when a Learjet 45 aircraft crashed during an attempted landing at Baramati airport in Pune district, killing all five people on board. Sunetra Pawar succeeded him as Deputy Chief Minister in January 2026.