The Maharashtra government has decided to officially include the birth anniversary of senior leader late Ajitdada Anantrao Pawar in the state list of birth anniversaries of national figures and eminent personalities that are celebrated at the government level. This means his birth anniversary will now be observed alongside those of other prominent national figures whom the state honours every year. The new arrangement will come into effect from the year 2026. The General Administration Department, or GAD, issued a government circular to this effect on Wednesday. Interestingly, just a day before this decision, senior Nationalist Congress Party, or NCP, leaders and ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif had met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and submitted a memorandum demanding official government recognition for Ajitdada Pawar's birth anniversary, a demand the Chief Minister accepted almost immediately.
Celebrations planned across the state
According to the circular issued by the state government, Ajitdada Pawar's birth anniversary will be celebrated across Maharashtra on July 22, 2026. On this occasion, floral tributes will be paid to his portrait in all government and semi-government offices, including the Mantralaya. In addition, all schools and colleges in the state have been directed to organise special programmes to mark the occasion, so that the younger generation is made aware of his contributions. The directive makes clear that the observance is not meant to remain confined to the state capital, but is to be organised uniformly across every part of Maharashtra.
He died in a plane crash earlier this year
Notably, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash on January 28 this year. He was travelling from Mumbai to his hometown of Baramati that day to attend an election rally. The crash occurred while the aircraft was attempting to land at Baramati airport, and it left the state's political circles in shock. A total of 5 people, including Ajit Pawar, died in the accident. Following the incident, a report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, or AAIB, was released, sharing several important details related to the sequence of events during the crash.
Strict directions issued to officials
The state government has directed all divisional commissioners and district collectors to ensure the proper organisation and effective implementation of programmes related to the anniversary in their respective areas. The circular explicitly mentions Ajitdada Pawar's contribution to public service and to the development of Maharashtra. He was widely respected for his administrative efficiency, his role in infrastructure development, and his efforts to ensure that welfare schemes reached the last person in the queue. These qualities, the circular notes, are what earned him respect across the state during his years as Deputy Chief Minister. Following this government decision, Ajitdada Pawar's birth anniversary will now be officially observed at the government level in Maharashtra every year on July 22, a move being seen as a lasting tribute to his years of public service and his contribution to the state's development.
