Supriya Sule's Rakhi tribute to late Ajit Pawar: 'Your absence can never be filled'
Synopsis
Seven months after Ajit Pawar died in a Baramati aircraft crash, his cousin Supriya Sule marked Raksha Bandhan with a grief-laden Marathi tribute that cut through Maharashtra's political noise — a reminder that the NCP split never severed the family bond. Her post, and Sunetra Pawar's parallel tribute on X, turned a festival of protection into a public moment of mourning.
Key Takeaways
Supriya Sule shared an emotional Raksha Bandhan tribute on 28 August for her late cousin Ajit Pawar , who died on 28 January in a Baramati aircraft crash.
Sule wrote in Marathi: 'The void created by your absence can never be filled,' addressing Ajit Pawar as 'Dada' .
The charter aircraft crash at Baramati Airport killed all five people on board and triggered three days of state mourning.
Late Ajit Pawar's wife and Maharashtra Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar also posted a tribute on X , attaching a photo of her husband with the party's clock symbol and a rakhi.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis , Deputy CM Eknath Shinde , and leaders across party lines extended Raksha Bandhan wishes.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule on Friday, 28 August shared a deeply personal tribute on social media for her late cousin Ajit Pawar, the former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister who died in an aircraft crash in January, marking the first Raksha Bandhan since his passing. The post, written in Marathi and shared on X and Instagram, drew widespread attention across Maharashtra for its raw grief and its quiet testimony to a bond that outlasted political rivalry.
Sule's tribute in her own words
Addressing Ajit Pawar — affectionately called 'Dada' — Sule wrote: 'Today is Raksha Bandhan... but this time, you're not with us, and this realisation is making my heart deeply restless.' She recalled the morning of his death: 'That horrific morning seven months ago and your sudden departure... even today, I can't bring myself to believe it.'
Reflecting on their shared childhood, she wrote: 'From childhood, growing up together, our fights, the love we shared, and the pride we felt in one another — these were the foundation of our bond.' She ended with a line that resonated widely: 'The void created by your absence can never be filled. Wherever you are, may your love and blessings always remain by my side.'
The crash that shook Maharashtra
The tribute marks seven months since the tragedy of 28 January, when a charter aircraft carrying Ajit Pawar crashed while approaching Baramati Airport amid poor visibility, killing all five people on board. The incident prompted three days of state mourning and condolences from leaders across party lines. Despite the political split within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) that placed Sule and Ajit Pawar in opposing factions, the two had reportedly maintained a close personal relationship, visible during festivals such as Raksha Bandhan and Bhau Beej.
Sunetra Pawar and other leaders mark the occasion
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and late Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, also posted on X, attaching a photograph of her late husband alongside the party's clock symbol and a rakhi. 'May this sacred thread of love, trust, and affection remain eternally strong in the bond with the people, just as it does in the brother-sister relationship,' she wrote, adding her commitment to Maharashtra's development and the welfare of farmers and party workers.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis extended Raksha Bandhan wishes to his sisters, while Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde called on people to 'preserve this bond as delicate as silk.' Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sushama Andhare shared greetings alongside a photograph of herself tying a rakhi to party chief Uddhav Thackeray, reiterating her commitment to protecting the rights and self-respect of women in Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Minister of Women and Child Welfare Aditi Tatkare and Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshwardhan Sapkal also extended wishes, with Sapkal saluting 'the unbreakable bond of love, affection, and protectiveness between brother and sister.'
A festival shadowed by grief across Baramati
In Baramati and across Maharashtra, supporters and political leaders reportedly paid silent homage to the late leader even as they observed the festival. The outpouring underscored how deeply Ajit Pawar's sudden death continues to be felt — not just within his family, but across the political and public life of the state. With the first major family festival since his passing now behind them, the focus for his family and party is likely to turn to his political legacy and the direction of the NCP faction he led.
Point of View
Not a personal estrangement. That distinction matters for how both NCP factions position themselves ahead of the next Maharashtra electoral cycle, particularly in Baramati, where the Pawar family's emotional capital remains the decisive currency. Sunetra Pawar's simultaneous post — carefully framed around development and worker loyalty — signals that Ajit Pawar's faction is already working to convert grief into political continuity. The festival has become, quietly, a soft-power contest over who carries the Pawar legacy forward.
NationPress
28 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Supriya Sule post a Raksha Bandhan tribute to Ajit Pawar?
Supriya Sule posted the tribute because this was the first Raksha Bandhan since Ajit Pawar's death in a Baramati aircraft crash on 28 January. She described the occasion as deeply painful, writing that she could not yet accept his sudden departure.
How did Ajit Pawar die?
Ajit Pawar died on 28 January when a charter aircraft he was travelling in crashed while approaching Baramati Airport amid poor visibility. All five people on board were killed, and the incident prompted three days of state mourning in Maharashtra.
What was the relationship between Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar despite the NCP split?
Despite belonging to opposing factions after the NCP split, Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar reportedly maintained a close personal bond rooted in their shared childhood. Sule's tribute noted that their personal relationship 'defied political divides,' and the two were known to observe family festivals together.
What did Sunetra Pawar say on Raksha Bandhan?
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, the late Ajit Pawar's wife, posted on X expressing commitment to Maharashtra's development and the welfare of farmers and party workers. She also affirmed her solidarity with women, saying she 'stands firmly by her sisters for their honour, safety, happiness, and prosperity.'
Which other Maharashtra leaders marked Raksha Bandhan 2025?
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushama Andhare, Women and Child Welfare Minister Aditi Tatkare, and Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshwardhan Sapkal all extended Raksha Bandhan wishes publicly.
