
Last rites of flight attendant Pinky Mali held in Mumbai
The Hindu
Flight attendant Pinky Mali's last rites held in Mumbai after her tragic death in a plane crash with Ajit Pawar.
The last rite of flight attendant Pinky Mali, who lost her life in the plane crash alongside Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Maharashtra’s Baramati city, was performed on Thursday (January 29, 2026) at a crematorium in Mumbai’s Dadar region. The cremation took place in the presence of her family, friends, and neighbours from Worli MHADA Colony. According to her family, the mortal remains of Pinky reached her residence on Thursday (January 29, 2026)morning. On Wednesday (January 28, 2026), Pinky and four others died in the fatal aircraft crash in Baramati.
Her father Shivkumar Mali said, “Pinky was the brightest of all and had a dream of making her brother a pilot.” He also recalled that the night before the accident, Pinky called and informed him about her travel plans to Baramati with Ajit Pawar. “She was flying with him to Baramati and later planned to fly to Nanded. Her last words were, “ Talk to you tomorrow,” said Mr. Shivkumar, adding that Pinky travelled with Ajit Pawar at least three times in the past few days.
Pinky Mali was working with Akasa airlines before working in VSR a few months ago. In a choked voice, Pinky’s brother Karan Mali said, “This was our last goodbye. Everything is over.” Pinky was living with her spouse in Kalyan, who works with L&T Company in Pune. Mr. Shivkumar’s neighbour, Prabhakar Pawar, said, “Shivkumar told us about her daughter’s flight with Ajit dada. Pinky was sweet and easy-going, just like father and had big aspirations.” Another neighbour, Sugandha Javale, called Pinky a hardworking girl, saying, “It was a shock for us, for her father, and everyone here.“

The sudden demise of Deputy Chief Minister and NCP supreme Ajit Pawar has thrown Maharashtra's politics in a state of flux. The regional power equations in a turbulent political ecosystem are likely to change due to the death of a mass leader with a strong grip over administration, and acceptance across the entire party leadership. As the chequered path of succession will be discussed, throwing several names from the Pawar family and outside the Pawar family in the ring, speculations on whether his wife Sunetra Pawar will emerge as the dark horse, have also emerged. What will be the decision of the Pawar family, how will Mahayuti be shaped now, what path will the senior satraps of NCP who had accepted Ajit Pawar's leadership, take? His death has led to several unanswered questions, leaving a void in the State politics for a long time.












