Ajit Pawar’s Death Revives India’s Painful History Of Leaders Lost In Air Crashes

In a tragic reminder of how fragile life can be, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar becomes the latest leader lost to a deadly air crash after his aircraft went down in Baramati. His death adds to a grim list of Indian leaders who have perished in aviation disasters over the decades. From the Air India Ahmedabad crash that killed former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, to the 2021 chopper crash that claimed CDS Bipin Rawat, such incidents have repeatedly shocked the nation. Former chief ministers Dorjee Khandu and Y.S. Reddy, Congress leaders Madhavrao Scindia and Sanjay Gandhi also died in similar tragedies. As India mourns, the crashes underscore the unpredictability of life, even thousands of feet above ground.