Badminton icon PV Sindhu is grappling with a poignant regret following the fatal plane crash that claimed Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Despite repeated calls to visit his Baramati stronghold, the star athlete never made the trip—a decision now tinged with sorrow.
Pawar was heading to a pre-election rally when his flight from Mumbai crashed at 9 AM Wednesday, killing him alongside NCP chief and four others. Sindhu’s X post captured raw emotion: ‘Rest in peace, Ajit Dada. Meetings with you showcased unmatched discipline and devotion. “Come to Baramati,” you’d say. I procrastinated, never foreseeing this pain.’
She condoled the pilots, aide, and PSO’s families, invoking prayers for endurance. Pawar’s electoral fortress, Baramati, saw him win seven straight terms from 1991, fueled by cooperative networks.
Elevated to Maharashtra Olympic Association president for the next Olympic cycle, Pawar championed sports. His long tenure at Pune’s cooperative bank and clout in sugar and milk sectors defined his influence. Key ministries under multiple CMs solidified his stature in water, power, and rural domains.
This tragedy disrupts Maharashtra’s political landscape amid local polls. Sindhu’s words humanize Pawar, revealing a paternal figure to emerging talents. Beyond the headlines of power and policy, it’s stories like these that etch his memory—invitations unmet, bonds unbreakable even in loss.