The final farewell to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will take place on Thursday in Baramati, where he will be cremated with full state honours. The funeral is scheduled for 11 am at the Vidya Pratishthan grounds in Pune district, a place closely associated with Pawar’s public life and political journey.

According to leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party, senior figures from across the political spectrum are expected to be present for the last rites. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are also likely to attend, underlining the national significance of the loss and Pawar’s stature in Indian politics.

Ajit Pawar died today in a tragic plane crash that occurred shortly after the aircraft departed from Mumbai. The small chartered plane went down during the morning hours, killing all five people on board. Along with Pawar, the crash claimed the lives of his personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two members of the flight crew, including the pilot-in-command and the first officer.

The sudden death of the senior leader triggered an outpouring of grief across Maharashtra. In response, the state government announced a public holiday on Wednesday and declared three days of official mourning as a mark of respect. Government buildings flew flags at half-mast, and public events were either cancelled or postponed.

Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha, and their two sons, Parth and Jay. Family members, party workers, and supporters have been gathering in Baramati since the news broke, turning the town into the focal point of mourning.