Maharashtra’s political landscape trembled with the Baramati plane crash on January 28, but for Shivkumar Mali, the real shock came from MGR Ventures’ silence after his daughter Pinky, a dedicated flight attendant, perished alongside Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and three others.
In an emotional interview Thursday, Shivkumar laid bare the betrayal. ‘Not a single call from the company. We saw it on TV—like strangers hearing bad news,’ he said. This lack of protocol turned personal devastation into public spectacle for the grieving family.
Her final words echoed in his mind: flying to Baramati with Ajit Dada, onward to Nanded, hotel call promised. Landing gone wrong erased those plans forever. Baramati arrival brought more isolation—no reps, no help amid chaos.
‘Pure callousness,’ Shivkumar charged. Companies must notify, support, coordinate in crises. Here, zilch. Friends bridged the gap for the 250+ km journey, body retrieval, all self-funded and arranged. He calls for scrutiny: crash causes, landing glitch on fast Mumbai-Barati route.
Pride in Pinky’s ascent—from his 1989 Delhi setback, teaching perseverance through her training odyssey—now fuels demands for truth. ‘Parents raise kids; I deserve to know why she’s gone.’ Somvikar Saini, her spouse, sought only empathy, receiving none as days passed sans outreach.
The family’s DIY crisis management exposes systemic flaws. With investigations underway, this narrative amplifies calls for stricter post-accident family protocols in aviation. Beyond mechanical faults, restoring faith requires humanity first.