Sunetra Pawar's tribute to Ajit Pawar: 'Everything feels utterly empty'
Synopsis
Sunetra Pawar's first tribute on Ajit Pawar's birthday as a jayanti — not a celebration — lays bare the personal cost of political loss. Her words 'everything feels utterly empty' resonated across Maharashtra, as the NCP simultaneously launched a week-long public service drive to honour a leader the party calls irreplaceable.
Key Takeaways
Sunetra Pawar paid tribute to late Ajit Pawar on his birth anniversary, 22 July , observed for the first time as a jayanti .
She visited the late leader's memorial in Baramati and shared a deeply personal statement on social media.
Tributes poured in from political leaders across party lines and citizens throughout Maharashtra .
The NCP launched Janseva Saptah (Public Service Week) from 22 to 28 July across Maharashtra.
Initiatives include tree plantation drives, blood donation camps, health check-ups, women's empowerment awards, and youth leadership workshops.
Veteran actor Sayaji Shinde will lead the 'Devgiri to Deorai' tree conservation campaign across all Maharashtra districts.
On the first birth anniversary observed as a jayanti, Sunetra Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and widow of the late Ajit Pawar, on Wednesday, 22 July, released a deeply personal tribute mourning the absence of the veteran Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader affectionately known across Maharashtra as 'Dada'. Sunetra Pawar visited the late leader's memorial in Baramati alongside family members to offer floral tributes before sharing her moving statement on social media.
Sunetra Pawar's Heartfelt Words
In her statement, Sunetra Pawar recalled years of joyful celebrations before describing the hollow grief of marking the same day as a death anniversary. 'For so many years, I celebrated your birthday with such joy, enthusiasm, and pride... The home and family would be filled with happiness, showers of blessings all around. But today, observing this very same day as your jayanti, my heart breaks completely from within. Even today, my heart refuses to accept this bitter truth, Dada,' she said.
She described Ajit Pawar as her greatest pillar of strength through every stage of life, adding: 'At every turn of my life, you stood by me as my greatest strength... That solid support of yours, the reassuring pat on the back in tough times, and the companionship you gave me... Today, all of it has suddenly vanished; everything feels utterly empty.' She concluded with a respectful salute to the 'companion of my life' and his sacred memories.
Tributes Across Party Lines
Sunetra Pawar's post drew an outpouring of emotion from party workers, political leaders across party lines, and citizens throughout Maharashtra. Prayer meetings and community service drives were held across Baramati and multiple districts in the state, honouring the late leader's decades of administrative acumen and dedication to public welfare. A tribute programme was also held at the NCP State Headquarters in Mumbai, where party leaders and workers paid floral tributes.
NCP's Janseva Saptah: Week-Long Public Service Drive
The NCP announced a 'Janseva Saptah' (Public Service Week) from 22 to 28 July across Maharashtra to mark the birth anniversary. The week-long initiative encompasses tree plantation drives under the themes 'Harit Maharashtra', 'Vruksha Majhi Savali, Vruksha Majhi Mauli', and 'Dadanchi Drushti, Harit Srushti'. Veteran actor Sayaji Shinde will lead the 'Devgiri to Deorai' tree conservation campaign through the Sahyadri Deorai Foundation across all districts. Present and former MPs and MLAs have been urged to establish one such project each in their constituencies.
State-wide blood donation camps, free health check-up drives — including screening for diabetes, hypertension, eye ailments, breast and cervical cancer, oral cancer, and osteoporosis — will be organised in rural and urban areas. Public cleanliness drives at forts, memorials, and ST bus stations, and a special Warkari Seva initiative during the Ashadhi Wari, are also planned in the late leader's memory.
Focus on Women, Farmers, and Youth
State-level conventions will focus on strengthening self-help groups and financial empowerment for women. The party's Women's Wing will present the Ajitdada Women's Empowerment Award, while women farmers will also be felicitated. AI-based agriculture workshops, farmer counselling camps, and programmes on crop planning, market trends, horticulture, and floriculture will be organised, reflecting the late leader's emphasis on modern farming technology. Progressive farmers will be honoured with the Ajitdada Agriculture Honour Award.
Youth camps will be held in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Nashik, with workshops covering leadership development, campaign strategy, and election management ahead of local body elections. Special service camps will also assist members of minority communities in accessing government welfare schemes. The NCP described Ajit Pawar as a leader who left an indelible mark on Maharashtra's development across agriculture, cooperation, finance, infrastructure, healthcare, education, sports, and social welfare — a legacy the party says it is committed to carrying forward.
Point of View
Spanning health, agriculture, environment, and women's empowerment, signals the party's intent to convert personal grief into grassroots mobilisation ahead of local body elections. Whether this translates into durable organisational energy, or remains a commemorative moment, will depend on follow-through in the districts — something the NCP has historically struggled with outside Baramati.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ajit Pawar and why is his birth anniversary significant?
Ajit Pawar was a veteran Maharashtra politician who served as Deputy Chief Minister of the state and was widely known as 'Dada'. His birth anniversary on 22 July is being observed for the first time as a jayanti — a formal death commemoration — following his passing, making it a solemn occasion for the NCP and his family.
What did Sunetra Pawar say in her tribute to Ajit Pawar?
Sunetra Pawar shared a deeply personal message on social media, recalling years of joyful birthday celebrations and expressing grief at now marking the same day as a jayanti. She said 'everything feels utterly empty' and described Ajit Pawar as her greatest pillar of strength, adding that his memories and spirit of service would live on forever.
What is NCP's Janseva Saptah and when does it take place?
Janseva Saptah, or Public Service Week, is a week-long initiative organised by the NCP from 22 to 28 July across Maharashtra to mark Ajit Pawar's birth anniversary. It includes tree plantation drives, blood donation camps, health screenings, women's empowerment conventions, agriculture workshops, and youth leadership camps.
Where did Sunetra Pawar pay tribute to Ajit Pawar?
Sunetra Pawar visited the late leader's memorial in Baramati alongside family members on 22 July to offer floral tributes. A separate tribute programme was also held at the NCP State Headquarters in Mumbai.
Who is leading the tree conservation campaign in Ajit Pawar's memory?
Veteran actor Sayaji Shinde will lead the 'Devgiri to Deorai' tree conservation campaign through the Sahyadri Deorai Foundation across all districts of Maharashtra. Present and former MPs and MLAs have been urged to establish one such project each in their constituencies.
