Ajit Pawar’s Old X Post Lauding Women Pilots Resurfaces After Baramati Crash

A day after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash near Baramati, an old post shared by him on social media platform X praising women pilots resurfaced and drew renewed attention online. The post, made in January 2024, paid tribute to women in aviation and was widely appreciated at the time.

In the post dated January 18, 2024, Pawar had written that a smooth landing often indicated a woman was in the pilot’s seat, tagging the message with #NCPWomenPower. Following news of his death, several users reshared the message, calling it a poignant reminder of his views on women professionals in aviation.

Ajit Pawar and four others were killed when their aircraft crashed nearly 100 metres from the edge of a tabletop runway at Baramati airport in Pune district. According to officials, the aircraft burst into flames during a second landing attempt amid poor visibility. Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend multiple meetings ahead of the upcoming local body elections.

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Those who died in the crash included pilots Sumit Kapur and Shambhavi Pathak, Pawar’s personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, and flight attendant Pinky Mali. Pathak was serving as the first officer with Delhi-based operator VSR Ventures and held a frozen airline transport pilot licence issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Kapur was the pilot-in-command.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Learjet 45 aircraft established contact with Baramati air traffic control at 8:18 am and was advised of weather conditions. The crew attempted a landing on Runway 11 but initiated a go-around after reporting that the runway was not visible. Flames were observed near the runway threshold shortly after landing clearance was issued.

Ajit Pawar’s funeral is being held in Baramati, his political stronghold, with full state honours. The crash has triggered widespread grief across Maharashtra, while aviation authorities continue to examine the circumstances leading to the accident.

Also Read: Ajit Pawar’s Final X Post: Salutations to Lala Lajpat Rai on Birth Anniversary