Hours after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a charter plane crash near Baramati airport, a social media post he shared in 2024 resurfaced online. Netizens are calling out the painful irony that the post describes.
The post, originally shared to highlight the Nationalist Congress Party’s push for women empowerment, spoke about women pilots and their skill in ensuring smooth landings during air travel.
The Ajit Pawar Tweet On Woman Pilots That Has Now Taken On New Meaning
In the 2024 post, Pawar had written, “When we travel by helicopter or plane, if our plane or helicopter lands smoothly, we understand that the pilot is a woman.”
The remark was intended to praise women pilots for their focus, discipline, and ability to safely operate aircraft in all weather conditions. Pawar had also used the hashtag #NCPWomenPower to underline his party’s emphasis on empowering women leaders and professionals.
Two years later, the post has taken on an unexpected resonance, as the aircraft that crashed near Baramati included a woman pilot among its crew.
When we travel by helicopter or plane, if our plane or helicopter lands smoothly, we understand that the pilot is a woman.#NCPWomenPower
— Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) January 18, 2024
Ajit Pawar Plane Crash
Ajit Pawar was killed after the business jet he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport on Wednesday. The aircraft, registered as VT-SSK, had departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai early in the morning.
Pawar was en route to Baramati to attend a series of political and election-related events. Around 8:45 a.m., as the aircraft was on its final approach to the runway, it reportedly encountered difficulties close to the landing strip.
Emergency services responded immediately following the crash. However, authorities later confirmed that all five people on board had died, leaving no survivors.
Who Was The Woman Pilot Handling Ajit Pawar’s Flight?
The aircraft was being operated by Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had accumulated 16,000 hours of flying experience, and First Officer Captain Shambhavi Pathak.
Shambhavi Pathak, who was assisting with aircraft handling, navigation, and communication with air traffic control, was described by aviation officials as fully qualified and experienced in charter operations on similar aircraft.
Social Media Reacts To Ajit Pawar’s Woman Pilot Post: ‘Heartbreaking’ and ‘Cruelly Ironic’
As the post circulated online, users described the resurfacing of the tweet as a stark reminder of life’s unpredictability. Many called the coincidence “heartbreaking” and “cruelly ironic.”
One user commented, “one was a m and one was a w,” referencing the presence of both male and female pilots in the aircraft that crashed, killing the NCP leader.
Tributes also emerged for First Officer Shambhavi Pathak. A user on X, identified as Sudhir, described her as “a brilliant student, a great daughter, a loving sibling, and a very good friend.”
Calling her death a personal loss, he said that Shambhavi had been his daughter’s friend since their kindergarten days, underscoring the deep personal grief felt beyond the public tragedy.
Ajit Pawar Funeral
A sea of people has descended in Baramati for Ajit Pawar’s final rites at the Vidya Pratishthan ground. National and regional leaders are travelling to Baramati to pay tributes to the deceased Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister. Amit Shah
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
