'Last Photo Was With Ajit Pawar': Baramati Crash Victims' Kin Bid Final Goodbyes

'She was a pillar of support,' said a relative of one of the 5 people who perished in the Baramati plane crash.

(Photos: PTI)

"When my daughter’s name flashed on the breaking news, we realised we had lost her," said the father of Pinky Mali, one of the five people who died on Wednesday, 28 January, in the Baramati plane crash that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Her father says that the last time he spoke to Pinky was on Tuesday, 27 January. "She told me she was going to Baramati with Ajit Pawar and from there would travel to Nanded," he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. "She left early this morning. I learnt about the incident when news of Ajit Pawar’s aircraft crash appeared on television. When my daughter’s name flashed on breaking news, we realised we had lost her."

On Thursday, 29 January, Mali was cremated in Mumbai, with her parents crying inconsolably as the funeral pyre was lit.

Three others who were on board - Captain Sumit Kapur and Captain Shambhavi Pathak, who were comandeering the aircraft, and Vipin Jadhav, Pawar's Personal Security Officer (PSO) - were also bid final goodbyes by their families on Thursday.

The family and friends of the deceased are distraught beyond measure, with many sharing the last message they had sent to them or the last phone call they had.

'Didn't Know This Was Her Last Message'

On the morning of the accident, Pathak had messaged her grandmother Meera Pathak saying, "Hi, good morning, Dadda", to which her grandmother replied, "Good morning, Chini."

"I didn't know this was the last message [she would ever send]," her grandmother was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Shambhavi Pathak.

(Photo Courtesy: X)

"My eldest son told me there had been a plane crash. Last night, I had even asked him on the phone, 'Where is Chini?' She mostly lived in Mumbai. She didn't call me often. She didn't even message me usually. I don't know how she remembered me today," she further added.

At around 9 am on Wednesday, Shambhavi's father Vikram Pathak called his mother in an emotional state.

"He said he would call me back and disconnected. I had already heard about the crash. In my heart, I knew something was wrong," Meera told NDTV. Two hours later came the tragic confirmation of Shambhavi's death.

Visuals from Captain Shambhavi Pathak's funeral, Delhi, 29 January 2026.

Visuals from Captain Shambhavi Pathak's funeral, Delhi, 29 January 2026.

Visuals from Captain Shambhavi Pathak's funeral, Delhi, 29 January 2026.

Visuals from Captain Shambhavi Pathak's funeral, Delhi, 29 January 2026.

Visuals from Captain Shambhavi Pathak's funeral, Delhi, 29 January 2026.

According to Pathak's LinkedIn profile, she had completed her schooling from the Air Force Bal Bharati School in 2018. She then trained as a commercial pilot at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy.

Among her various stints was also one as an Assistant Flying Instructor at the Madhya Pradesh Flying Club, where she held a Flight Instructor Rating (A). The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had also given her a Frozen Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL).

Sumit Kapur was the pilot-in-command on the aircraft, and was responsible for key decision-making. He reportedly had over 15,000 hours of flying experience.

Sumit Kapur. 

(Photo Courtesy: X)

Captain (retired) Ehsan Khalid, who is a former Indian Air Force pilot and knew Kapur personally, told ANI, "It was a tragic incident. I have known the pilot since my Sahara days, almost two decades ago. He was an experienced pilot."

'A Pillar of Support for the Family' 

Hailing from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, 29-year-old Pinky Mali had seven years of experience in aviation, and mostly catered to VIP and chartered flights. She had been living in Mumbai over the last few years.

She was the daughter of Shivkumar Mali, who is a taxi driver and reportedly a political worker connected with the Shiv Sena. She is survived by her husband, Somvikar Saini, and her two siblings.

Pinky Mali. 

(Photo Courtesy: X)

Her cousin, Atul Mali, said that Pinky had been a pillar of support to the family, especially after his mother's death in 2025.

“She told me she would always look after me and my younger siblings. She was very caring and spoke to us at least once a week. Every morning I send her a message saying ‘Jai Shree Ram’. Today, at around 6:00 am, she replied, ‘Jai Shree Ram’," Mali told The Indian Express.

Family and friends of Pinky Mali mourning her loss. 

(Photo: PTI)

Vidip Jadhav Leaves Behind Daughter, 9-Year-Old Son

Vidip Jadhav, Pawar's PSO, was a 2009 batch Mumbai Police officer. Originally hailing from Maharashtra's Satara district, he was a resident of Thane.

He is survived by his wife, Sandhya, and two children, a 13-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son.

Vipin Jadhav with Ajit Pawar. 

(Photo Courtesy: X)

Jadhav's picture with Ajit Pawar, now viral on social media, was the last photo he sent to his wife before the aircraft took off, his family said. Jadhav was cremated in Satara on 29 January.

Shruti Walekar, his neighbour, called for strict action to be taken against VSR Ventures, which owned the aircraft.

"This is really sad. He is survived by his parents, wife, daughter and son. The government should provide them with some compensation as he has a family. The crash should be investigated and action should be taken against the company concerned," she told ANI.

Rishikesh, another neighbour, said: "We have known him ever since he moved here. Today, we lost a man who was friendly with everyone. This is very sad...This is an irreparable loss."