Baramati: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar lost his life in a plane crash at Baramati Airport on January 28, 2026. Along with Pawar, the pilot-in-command of the leased jet Captain Shambhavi Pathak also died in the accident. Captain Shambhavi Pathak was the captain of the doomed VSR Aviation-operated Learjet 45.
Who was Captain Shambhavi Pathak?
Not much is known about Captain Shambhavi Pathak except that she was trained as a pilot and was an officer in the defence sector. Captain Shambhavi Pathak was born and brought up in Delhi. She studied in Delhi’s Air Force Bal Bharati School. Various students who have studied aviation from the Air Force-run school have gone on to join the Indian Air Force and other aviation sectors.
Education and Flight Training
She completed her graduation in Aviation from University of Mumbai with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics, Aviation and Aerospace Science and Technology.
She joined New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy for further studies in flying. There she acquired a CPL (Commercial Pilot License) issued by Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand which is also recognised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India.
Captain Shambhavi Pathak CPL was qualified to fly jets as she also held a Frozen ATPL.
Work Experience
Captain Pathak was once an Indian flight instructor who trained various cadets aspiring to be commercial pilots.
Crash Victim Captain Pathak Was Flying CM Ajit Pawar Today
The Captain was flying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar along with his team in a chartered Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK). Apart from Ajit Pawar and Captain Shambhavi Pathak, the co-pilot and cabin crew were also travelling in the aircraft.
Also Read: Ajit Pawar Plane Crash Cause: What is the Learjet 45, who were onboard, and what went wrong?
Witnesses claimed that while landing for the second time, the aircraft caught fire after skidding off the track near the runway. The captain-in-command of the flight lost control of the aircraft during its final moments.
