Baramati Tragedy: Meet Capt. Shambhavi Pathak, the Skilled Pilot Who Flew with Ajit Pawar

Capt. Shambhavi Pathak, the pilot of the Baramati plane crash that claimed Ajit Pawar’s life, was a highly skilled aviator with international training, instructor experience, and expertise in flying VIP business jets like Learjet 45.

Post Published By: Karan Sharma

Updated : 28 January 2026, 1:13 PM IST

Who Was Pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak?

Baramati: A plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, claimed the life of NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The flight, which was en route to multiple election campaign events, was piloted by Capt. Shambhavi Pathak. Sadly, both lost their lives in this accident.

Early Life and Education

Capt. Shambhavi Pathak completed her early schooling in India. She earned a B.Sc. in Aeronautics and Aviation Science from Mumbai University. To pursue a professional pilot career, she went to New Zealand and trained at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy between 2018–2019, earning her Commercial Pilot License from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.

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Career Development in India

After returning to India, Shambhavi obtained her Commercial Pilot License from DGCA. She also completed the ‘Frozen ATPL’ program, a crucial step toward becoming an airline pilot. Additionally, she held a flight instructor rating, qualifying her to train other pilots.

Experience as an Instructor

Shambhavi worked as an Assistant Flight Instructor, teaching new pilots while gaining hands-on experience. She also received aviation security (AVSEC) training from SpiceJet and completed orientation training for flying the Airbus A320.

Alongside Maharashtra’s Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, young pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak also lost her life.#AjitPawar #ShambhaviPathak #PlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/1xkim1iNuf

— Dynamite News (@DynamiteNews_) January 28, 2026

Role at VSR Ventures

From August 2022, she served as a full-time First Officer at VSR Ventures Private Limited. She was responsible for operating high-performance business jets, including the Learjet 45, commonly used for VIP and corporate travel.

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Salary Insights

As a First Officer on a business jet like Learjet 45, her monthly salary ranged from ₹3–4 lakh, depending on experience and the company.