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Ajit Pawar Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 15, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth22 July 1959

Age66 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceDeolali Pravara, Bombay State, India

ProfessionPolitician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseSunetra Pawar

FamilyTwo sons: Jay Pawar and Parth Pawar

Ajit Pawar Biography

Ajit Anantrao Pawar was an Indian politician from Maharashtra, known for a long legislative and ministerial career, close family ties to veteran leaderShar

Early life and background

Ajit Anantrao Pawar was born on 22 July 1959 in Deolali Pravara, then part of Bombay State. Raised in a family with deep political connections, he was the grandson of Govind Pawar and nephew of Sharad Pawar. He completed his secondary schooling at Maharashtra Education Society High School in Baramati but left college after his father’s death to take responsibility for his family.

Pawar came from the Maratha community and practiced Hinduism. He lived in Baramati, Pune, and was widely known by the sobriquet "Dada" among supporters and colleagues. Physically, he stood about 1.75 m (5'9") tall with black hair and black eyes.

Career

Ajit Pawar entered public life through the cooperative sector, winning a seat on the board of a Pune-area sugar factory in 1982. He rose quickly in regional politics, securing the chairmanship of the Pune District Co-operative Bank in 1991 and remaining in that position for about sixteen years.

1991 proved a pivotal year: he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati and also won a seat in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from the same constituency. When his uncle Sharad Pawar became Defence Minister, Ajit vacated the Lok Sabha seat in his favor and continued to represent Baramati in the state assembly, winning re-election repeatedly through 2014.

Across his decades-long career he held numerous portfolios in Maharashtra governments. Early roles included Minister of State responsibilities for agriculture, power, soil conservation and planning in the early 1990s. He later served as a cabinet minister with charge of irrigation (1999–2003) and, at various times, rural development and water resources. From 2004 until the Congress–NCP coalition left power in 2014 he was Guardian Minister for Pune district and held the Water Resources portfolio under successive administrations.

In state leadership, Pawar served multiple terms as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He was first sworn in as Deputy CM in November 2019 amid a turbulent political realignment and, following further developments that year, resumed the post in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in December 2019. He later became Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 2022 and returned as Deputy Chief Minister in 2023 in the Eknath Shinde-led government, taking on the finance and planning departments during a cabinet expansion in July 2023.

Public profile

Pawar built a strong political base particularly in the Pune–Pimpri–Chinchwad belt and was known for a forceful, at times combative public persona. His supporters often addressed him as "Dada," and he was a prominent figure within the Nationalist Congress Party. Over the years he developed close ties with the cooperative and builder communities in his region and was recognized for punctuality and decisiveness by those who worked with him.

His political life also attracted controversy. Allegations and questions were raised at different times about land leases, financial matters, and statements he made in public forums. These episodes prompted investigations, resignations, and later returns to office during his career. The record shows recurrent disputes involving asset attachments by tax authorities, local controversies around land and water distribution, and sharp public remarks that drew criticism.

Personal life

Ajit Pawar was married to Sunetra Pawar. The couple had two sons: Jay Pawar, described as an entrepreneur, and Parth Pawar, who entered electoral politics and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Maval. His family maintained a relatively private profile and were not typically visible on the campaign trail.

Assets declared in public records included a mix of movable and immovable holdings, with bank deposits, bonds, agricultural and non-agricultural land, and commercial and residential properties recorded in official disclosures.

Latest updates

Ajit Pawar died on 28 January 2026 in an aircraft crash in Baramati, Maharashtra. He was 66 years old at the time of his death.

At the end of his career he remained a central and polarizing figure in Maharashtra politics, known for long-standing influence in regional administration, repeated ministerial responsibility, and a leadership role within the state legislature.
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Recent Work

Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra

Served as Deputy Chief Minister in multiple administrations, most recently in the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde; held the finance and planning portfolios following a July 2023 cabinet expansion.

2023
Leader of the Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly

Served as the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly.

2022
Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra

Became the 9th Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in November 2019 and, after political developments that month, was sworn in again in December 2019 in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Entered politics via the cooperative sector in 1982
  2. Elected repeatedly as MLA from Baramati (1991–2014 and beyond)
  3. Held key state portfolios including irrigation, water resources, rural development, and finance
  4. Served multiple terms as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra
  5. Served as Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Ajit Pawar born?

22 July 1959

What is Ajit Pawar known for?

Politician

What is Ajit Pawar’s marital status?

Married

Who is Ajit Pawar married to?

Sunetra Pawar