Pune, 2nd March 2026: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has been elected as the President of the Pune District Education Board following the demise of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who previously held the position.
The decision was taken unanimously at a special general body meeting held on Sunday at the board’s headquarters in Kothrud.
The meeting was attended by Sunetra Pawar, Vice President Rajendra Ghadge, Honorary Secretary Adv. Sandeep Kadam, Treasurer Adv. Mohanrao Deshmukh, Deputy Secretary Laxmanrao Pawar, Joint Secretary Atmaram Jadhav, member Jay Pawar and other officials.
At the beginning of the meeting, members paid tribute to Ajit Pawar and to his bodyguard, pilot and assistant who lost their lives in the accident. Following this, Adv. Kadam proposed Sunetra Pawar’s name for the post of President.
The proposal was approved unanimously by the members present. Vice President Ghadge formally handed over the charge to her. Pawar accepted the responsibility in a simple manner without ceremonial celebrations.
With this appointment, Sunetra Pawar becomes the first woman President of the Pune District Education Board. Addressing the gathering, she said, “Ajit Pawar worked tirelessly to take the Pune District Education Board on the path of progress. He opened the doors of education to students from all sections of society and focused on providing not only academic excellence but also modern learning opportunities. It is now our collective responsibility to fulfill the vision he had for this institution.”
During the meeting, members highlighted Ajit Pawar’s two-decade tenure as President, during which several key initiatives were launched. These included the establishment of an architecture college, English-medium schools, research centers and the construction of high-quality infrastructure.
The board also introduced programs such as online education, cognitive exchange initiatives, Lead to Excel, Atal Tinkering Labs, BIS activities, student counselling and competitive exam guidance.
Speakers noted that his leadership significantly strengthened the institution’s academic standards and infrastructure, setting a strong foundation for future growth under Sunetra Pawar’s leadership.