Who is Sunetra Pawar? A look at Ajit Pawar’s wife, sons and family tree

MAharashtra surrogate chief government minister Ajit Pawar died on jan 28 after the aircraft he was travelling in crashed patch attempting to shore at Baramati in Maharashtra. He was 66. Pawar is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and their two sons — Parth and Jay.Ajit Pawar’s family treeAjit Pawar belonged to one of Maharashtra’s most influential political families — one that shaped the state’s legacy and policies over decades. He was born in 1959 in Deolali Pravara, Ahmednagar district, into a family deeply rooted in farming and cooperative institutions. His grandparents, Govindrao and Sharda Pawar, were active in agriculture and local cooperatives, laying the groundwork for the family’s political influence.(Also read: Who are Parth and Jay Pawar? A look at Ajit Pawar's sons and their different paths )At the centre of this influential political family is Sharad Pawar, born in 1940 in Baramati, a small town in western Maharashtra. Pawar’s political career spans over six decades, during which he has served three terms as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and held important Union Cabinet positions, including Agriculture and Defence.Ajit Pawar’s relationship with Sharad PawarAjit Pawar was the nephew of Sharad Pawar. He was the son of Sharad Pawar’s brother, Anantrao Pawar.Ajit carved his own political path while closely working with his uncle, Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1991 from the Baramati Parliamentary constituency. He later vacated the seat for his uncle.When Sharad formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 1999, Ajit joined him and quickly became one of its most powerful leaders. At 40, he became the youngest Cabinet Minister in the Vilasrao Deshmukh government, managing irrigation, and gradually built a strong base in western Maharashtra through cooperatives and local institutions.However, their relationship became contentious later. While Sharad Pawar’s style was consensus-driven, Ajit became known for his assertive and sometimes confrontational approach, which led to occasional tensions within the family. Sharad’s daughter, Supriya Sule, also joined politics, raising questions about succession.The divide became official in 2023, when Ajit broke from Sharad’s faction of the NCP to join the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance and became Deputy Chief Minister. This move marked a historic split in the Pawar family’s political legacy.As the NCP party split into two factions, a battle emerged over who would use the party symbol and name. After a legal battle, the Supreme Court of India gave judgement in favour of the faction led by Ajit Pawar, which was allowed the use of the “NCP” name. Subsequently, the Sharad Pawar led faction formed the NCP (SP).Ajit Pawar’s wife and childrenAjit Pawar was married to Sunetra Pawar, the daughter of former Maharashtra minister Padamsinh Bajirao Patil. Sunetra Pawar was involved in social initiatives and often accompanied Ajit Pawar at public events and welfare programmes.She is currently serving as Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra as a member of the Nationalist Congress Party.Sunetra Pawar is also the chairperson of Baramati Textile Company and CEO of Environmental Forum of India.The couple has two sons. Their elder son, Parth Pawar, entered politics and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Maval constituency but was not elected. Parth is a B.Com graduate from HR College Of Commerce And Economics, Mumbai University.Their younger son, Jay Pawar, focused on business and has maintained a low public profile.(Also Read: Who was Capt Shambhavi Pathak, pilot killed in Ajit Pawar plane crash?)