2 minutes of readingPuneJanuary 30, 2026 15:31 IST
Former Pune mayor Shantilal Suratwala, a close aide of the Pawar family, passed away in the city on Friday morning after a brief illness. Hey, he was 76 years old.
Suratwala was the mayor of Pune from 1992 to 1993. He was first elected to the PMC as a corporator in 1979 from the city’s postal district and was a member of the elected body until 2007.
Suratwala was very close to CPN (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Former Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi when both leaders were in Congress. When Pawar left the Congress, Suratwala followed him.
His public life began as a Ganesh mandal worker and he entered politics through social work and networking. Known as a hard-working, patient leader with deep knowledge of the civic issues of Pune, he undertook various development works in his capacity as a corporator and mayor. It was his leadership qualities that led Sharad Pawar to select him for the post of Mayor of Pune.
His initiative to wash the main roads of Pune to combat air pollution was appreciated by the public. Suratwala also worked to provide pothole-free roads and resolve traffic congestion in the city. Although he had stayed away from active politics, he continued to maintain close relations with the Pawar family.