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‘Not a single dry eye’: How the Baramati medical college, Ajit Pawar helped build, became the site of his own post-mortem

As Ajit Pawar's last rites were performed at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati, the college authorities and medical officers are still coming to terms with the harsh reality that their "Ajit Dada" is no more.

4 min readPuneUpdated: Jan 29, 2026 05:49 PM IST

ajit pawar at government medical college

Ajit Pawar on one of his early visits to the Baramati Government Medical College. (Source: Express Archives)

Each visit by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to his hometown of Baramati, where he was killed in a crash Wednesday, invariably included a detailed review of the Government Medical College, established just six years ago.

“From the colour of the chairs in the auditorium to the progress of each department, Ajit Dada meticulously monitored every aspect, determined to shape it into a premier medical institution. Alas, little did we know then that a post-mortem would one day be performed on his body in that very institution, his mortal remains preserved and DNA samples collected,” Dr Manoj Khomane, Health Officer, Baramati Taluka, said.

As Ajit Pawar’s last rites were performed at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati, the college authorities and medical officers are still coming to terms with the harsh reality that their “Ajit Dada” is no more.

‘We were all in a state of shock’

Dr Khomane recalled they got a call from the Sub Divisional Office (SDO), Baramati, for an additional ambulance at around 8.47 am Wednesday.

“Our ambulances, as per the VIP protocol, were already stationed at the airstrip, and, fervently praying that nothing untoward had occurred, we reached the site. By 8.49 am, the crowds outside the college had become aggressive, and no one was in the mood to listen. We were all in a state of shock,” he added.

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As health department teams headed toward Baramati from Pune, identifying bodies was of prime importance. “There were two women and three men. The bodies were charred, but the police teams were able to identify Ajit Pawar’s body by his wristwatch. The nameplate on Vidip Jadhav’s waist belt also helped identify the deputy CM’s personal security officer. The third male body was in a pilot uniform,” Dr Khomane said.

Crash site in Baramati where Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and 6 others killed in a flight craft on Wednesday. (Express photographs by Arul Horizon)

However, beyond the challenges of careful handling of the bodies was the immense emotional strain of having to deal with the loss of their leader.

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“There was not a single dry eye in the room as post-mortem procedures were taken up,” Dr Khomane, who was in the section as an assistant, recalled.

‘Atmosphere of grief’

Dr Rajesh Umap, Medical Superintendent, Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Government Medical College and Hospital, Baramati, admitted that their teams were overwhelmed and distressed.

“Our work was carried out in this atmosphere of grief, and we ensured that each step was taken with precision. A CT-Scan of all the bodies was carried out initially to assess for any foreign bodies in the respiratory tract, and then the post-mortem examinations were conducted,” Dr Umap said.

Know More | ‘Runway not in sight’: The 26 minutes before the plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar, four others

While the bodies were charred, the team also observed fractures due to the impact of the crash. A team of experts from the Regional Forensic Laboratory, Pune, was also present at the site, and, as per police directives, DNA samples, including tooth and femur bones, among others, were collected.

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Baramati Government Medical College. (Source: Express Photo)

Meanwhile, several medical officers and doctors spoke about Ajit Pawar’s active role in raising concerns about medical issues.

For Dr Khomane, who is also the working President of the Maharashtra Association of Gazetted Medical Officers (MAGMO), one of the most cherished memories is that their “Ajit Dada” was also a go-to person for expediting pending work.

“The state had increased the non-practising allowance as per the 7th Pay Commission. But it was Ajit Pawar’s active role that helped in implementing this decision that benefited so many medical officers,” Dr Khomane said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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