Asawari Jagdale, who lost her father in Pahalgam terror attack, finally gets a job with PMC

Appointed as an administrative officer, which is a Class 2 post
Eleven months after her father Santosh Jagdale was killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir, Asawari Jagdale has finally got a job with Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) after waiting for months.

On the directives of the state government, the PMC on Wednesday appointed her as an administrative officer, which is a Class 2 post.

“I was called for discussion by the municipal commissioner and given a letter to join today itself as Class 2 officer,” Asawari told The Indian Express .

She said the mandatory process like medical check-up and police verification will be done on Friday.

“I am very glad that the PMC has inducted me as a Class 2 officer as assured by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ,” she said.

The family had lamented that they were facing financial problems after Santosh was killed in the terror attack.

Last month, Asawari had openly expressed her disappointment that despite promise from the chief minister and deputy chief minister, she had failed to get a job with PMC.

She had highlighted that her family was facing financial hardship after her father’s death and that family savings had depleted.

Santosh, a resident of Kothrud, was one of the 26 victims who died when terrorists opened fire in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadows on April 22 last year.

After the Pahalgam massacre, the Maharashtra government had announced Rs 50 lakh financial assistance to the families of the six victims from the state and government employment to their next of kin.

However, when the government failed to provide her the job despite making the promise Asawari had vented her frustration and highlighted the financial difficulty faced by them.

In response, Shinde had directed Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram to induct her into government service without any further delay.

“Now that PMC has given me the job, it will help our family get back on the track.

After my father’s death, we suffered financial difficulty,” she said.

When contacted by The Indian Express, Ram said, “PMC has provided job to Asawari Jagdale as per the directives of the state government.

She joined as administrative officer from today itself.”
The PMC chief said Asawari will get a monthly salary between Rs 70,000 and Rs 80,000.

“It is a direct appointment as a permanent staff.

She will become assistant commissioner in three years, deputy commissioner in six years and retire as Additional Municipal Commissioner,” Ram said.

Several BJP leaders and office-bearers from the city were present with her at the civic headquarters located in Shivajinagar area.

The chief minister spoke to her over the phone and congratulated her, civic officials said.

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune.

With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability.

Professional Background
Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens.

Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College.

Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development.

Recent Notable Articles (December 2025)
His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom:
1.

Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026)
"Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections.

"Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections.

"Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls.

2.

Infrastructure & Urban Development
"Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026.

"Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi.

"Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors.

3.

Civic Governance & Environment
"Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time.

"Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections.

Signature Style
Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism.

His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents.

He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact.

X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ...

Read More