E-Paper
Who was Captain Shambhavi Pathak, pilot killed in Ajit Pawar plane crash?
Captain Shambhavi Pathak was one of the five casualties in the plane crash that also killed Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar this morning.
Captain Shambhavi Pathak was one of the five casualties in the plane crash that also killed Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar this morning. Pathak was flying Ajit Pawar from Mumbai when their aircraft crashed near Baramati in Pune district, minutes before landing.
All five people on board — including Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer Vidhit Jadhav, and two pilots — were killed in the crash. The pilots on board were Captain Sumit Kapoor and Captain Shambhavi Pathak, confirmed VSR Aviation, which operated the flight.
Who was Captain Shambhavi Pathak?
Captain Shambhavi Pathak was the First Officer on the Mumbai to Baramati flight that crashed this morning, killing all five people on board.
Pathak was piloting Bombardier Aerospaces' Learjet 45, a mid-size business jet aircraft. The flight was operated by a private company called VSR Ventures, which was involved in a similar plane crash in 2023.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Pathak received pilot training at New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy between 2018 and 2019.
She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology from the University of Mumbai.
Pathak studied at Air Force Bal Bharati School, completing her secondary education in 2018.
Pathak also received the Frozen Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Licenses and certifications
Pathak had an Aviation Security (AVSEC) certification from SpiceJet Limited, issued in March 2022.
She completed Jet Orientation Training (A320) from Jordan Airline Training & Simulation, issued in February 2022.
She held a Commercial Pilot License (CAA) from the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, issued in November 2019.
She had an English Language Proficiency Level 6 certification from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), issued in January 2019.
According to her LinkedIn profile, her Commercial Pilot License, issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), expired in May 2025.
Pathak had a Flight Instructor Rating from The Madhya Pradesh Flying Club Ltd.
(Also read: What DGCA said on Ajit Pawar plane crash. Full statement here)
