Sunetra Pawar sworn in as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister

Mumbai: Sunetra Pawar, wife of the late Ajit Pawar, was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Saturday, becoming the state’s first woman to hold the position. At 62, she took the oath at Lok Bhavan, with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, and other senior leaders present. The oath was administered by Governor Acharya Devvrat.

To assume office, Sunetra Pawar resigned from her Rajya Sabha seat, clearing the way for the ceremony.

Following the death of her husband, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in an air crash in Baramati on 28 January, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a constituent of the Mahayuti government, elected her as leader of its legislature wing. A letter to that effect was submitted to Chief Minister Fadnavis, who forwarded it to the Governor.

Sunetra Pawar is recognised for her work in sustainable development, environmental conservation, and rural empowerment. As a Rajya Sabha MP, she has been a driving force behind initiatives promoting inclusive and sustainable progress.

In 2010, she founded the Environmental Forum of India (EFOI), a non-governmental organisation raising environmental awareness and fostering eco-conscious communities. She has led extensive grassroots campaigns focusing on biodiversity conservation, protection of endangered species, water resource management, and drought mitigation.

Ajit Pawar passed away when the chartered plane carrying him crash-landed in Baramati. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two pilots.