The death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati has once again highlighted a dark chapter in India’s political history: the loss of high-ranking public figures in plane crashes. Over the decades, India has witnessed several such tragedies involving planes and helicopters, each prompting investigations, political reflection and national mourning.
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Below is a chronology of prominent Indian politicians and public leaders who have lost their lives in air crashes, illustrating the personal toll as well as the wider institutional impact of these incidents.
Ajit Pawar Death News
Ajit Pawar (2026)
Ajit Anantrao Pawar, a veteran Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and the longest serving non-consecutive Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, died on 28 January 2026 when a chartered Learjet 45 crashed near Baramati in Pune district while attempting to land.
The plane, returning from Mumbai, was carrying Pawar, security personnel and crew members. Preliminary statements from the aviation regulator indicated that all on board had been killed. The 66-year-old Pawar was widely regarded as an influential architect of Maharashtra’s fiscal and administrative policies, and his death left a significant void in state politics.
Vijay Rupani (2025)
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani died on 12 June 2025 when Air India Flight AI-171 crashed shortly after take off from Ahmedabad en route to London.
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The Airbus plane was carrying more than 240 passengers. Rupani’s remains were identified through a DNA match and Gujarat observed a day of state mourning. Investigators have been examining aircraft systems, weather conditions and air traffic communications as part of the ongoing investigation.
Dorjee Khandu (2011)
Dorjee Khandu, the then Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, died in a helicopter crash on 30 April 2011 while flying through remote mountainous terrain near Tawang.
The helicopter lost contact shortly after takeoff. After days of search operations involving the armed forces, the wreckage was found in a dense forest at a high altitude. The investigation cited poor weather and challenging topography.
YS Rajasekhara Reddy (2009)
YS Rajasekhara Reddy, known as YSR, was serving as the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh when he died in a Bell 430 helicopter crash on 2 September 2009.
The helicopter went missing on its way from Hyderabad to Chittoor and was later found in the Nallamala forest. Investigators concluded that poor weather and low visibility led to a controlled flight into terrain. His death caused widespread public mourning and a major political realignment in the state.
Om Prakash Jindal and Surender Singh (2005)
Haryana Power Minister Om Prakash Jindal and Agriculture Minister Surender Singh died when a King Cobra helicopter crashed near Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh on 3 March 2005.
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The helicopter was flying from Delhi to Chandigarh. Investigators pointed to technical failure and poor visibility as contributing factors.
GMC Balayogi (2002)
GMC Balayogi, the then Speaker of the Lok Sabha, died in a Bell 206 helicopter crash in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh on 3
Adverse weather conditions were cited as the main cause. Balayogi’s death marked a rare constitutional moment as a sitting speaker had never before died in office due to a plane crash.
Madhavrao Scindia (2001)
Senior Congress leader and Union Minister Madhavrao Scindia was killed in a Beechcraft C90 plane crash on 30 September 2001 while flying from Delhi to Kanpur.
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Engine failure related to weather conditions was cited as the probable cause. His death had long-term implications for Congress politics in Madhya Pradesh and at the national level.
Sanjay Gandhi (1980)
One of the earliest and most remembered incidents involved Sanjay Gandhi, who died on 23 June 1980 when the light aircraft he was piloting crashed near Safdarjung Airport in New Delhi.
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The accident was attributed to pilot error and spatial disorientation. Gandhi’s death changed the political equations in the country during a critical period.
General Bipin Rawat (2021)
India’s first Chief of Defense Staff Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat were killed in a Mi-17V5 helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on 8 December 2021.
The helicopter was flying from Sulur Air Base to Wellington when it crashed in hilly terrain. A tri-service inquiry later attributed the crash to the pilot’s spatial disorientation caused by sudden weather changes. Thirteen of the fourteen people on board were killed, prompting national mourning and full state honors.
