Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar decided to resign as the chief of the party, 24 years after he founded it. The 82-year-old was born in Baramati, near Pune. He started his political career very young—a career that lasted a lifetime as it spans over 60 years.
May 3, 2023
By: Ananya Tawakley
Credit: BCCL
In 1956, a young Pawar mobilized protests for Goan independence. He joined the Pune District Youth Congress, and became its president within four years. At the age of 27, he won the election to represent Baramati in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
Credit: Sharad Pawar's Instagram
In 1978, following Indira Gandhi’s defeat after the Emergency, he joined the Janata Party Coalition to become the youngest elected Chief Minister at age 37 – unheard of during those times. Pawar became the chief minister of Maharashtra four times — in 1978, 1988, 1990 and 1993.
Credit: Sharad Pawar's Official Instagram
Pawar is married to Pratibha Phule and their daughter Supriya Sule, currently represents the Baramati constituency in Lok Sabha. His nephew, Ajit Pawar, is the leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra State Legislative Assembly.
Credit: Sharad Pawar's Official Instagram
Pawar was diagnosed with oral cancer in 1999, as a result of consuming tobacco. He underwent surgery in 2004. In 2021, he underwent a medical procedure in hospital to remove a mouth ulcer.
Credit: Sharad Pawar's Official Instagram
Pawar led a rebellion against Sonia Gandhi’s leadership of the Congress Party in 1999. He asserted that only people born in India should be permitted to become the Prime Minister, citing her Italian origin. Pawar was expelled from the party the same year.
Credit: Sharad Pawar's Official Instagram
Along with Purno Sangma and Tariq Anwar, Pawar founded the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 1999, with other expelled party members. Currently the party has 20 lakh members, 5 representatives in the Lok Sabha, 4 in the Rajya Sabha and 54 in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha.
Credit: Sharad Pawar's Official Instagram
Pawar served as the Union Minister of Defence from 1991-1993 in Narasimha Rao’s cabinet. In 2004, he became the minister of Agriculture under Manmohan Singh when NCP joined the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance as a coalition partner.
Credit: Sharad Pawar's Official Instagram
Pawar is associated with many sports like Kho-Kho, Kabaddi and wrestling, but he made his presence felt the most in cricket. He served as BCCI president from 2005-2008 and after which he became the president of ICC.
Credit: Sharad Pawar's Official Instagram
After a split between Shiv Sena and BJP, three unlikely partners NCP, INC and Shiv Sena formed a coalition named Mahavikas Agadhi which formed the state government. Pawar was instrumental in bringing them together and thwarting BJP attempts to break Ajit Pawar away from the fold.
Credit: Sharad Pawar's Official Instagram
Pawar’s resignation as the party chief was met with shock and tears as party members protested the exit of their patriarch. He assured them that it was not a resignation from public life, and that he will continue to serve the party and people.
Credit: Sharad Pawar's Official Instagram