Sharad Pawar
Four-time Chief Minister of Maharashtra and founder of the Nationalist Congress Party
- Age
- 85 yrs
- Birthday in 47 days
- Works listed
- 0
- Career highlights
- Honours
- 1
- Most recent 2017
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Sharad Pawar is one of Maharashtra’s most influential politicians, a four-time Chief Minister and former Union Minister of Defence and Agriculture. He founded the Nationalist Congress Party in 1999 and has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 2014.
Biography
Rise in Maharashtra
Pawar was first elected to the Maharashtra assembly from Baramati in 1967 at the age of 27, as a protégé of Yashwantrao Chavan. In 1978, at 38, he became the state’s youngest Chief Minister at the head of a coalition, and he returned to the post in 1988–91 and 1993–95.
National roles
He was Defence Minister in P. V. Narasimha Rao’s government (1991–93). In 1999 he left the Congress after objecting to Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin and founded the Nationalist Congress Party, which nonetheless allied with the Congress in Maharashtra and nationally. He was Union Minister of Agriculture from 2004 to 2014 in the Manmohan Singh governments.
A keen cricket administrator, he was president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (2005–08) and of the International Cricket Council (2010–12).
Cooperative and sugar politics
Pawar’s political base lies in western Maharashtra’s cooperative movement — sugar factories, cooperative banks and milk unions — which gave him deep networks in rural Maharashtra. As Union Agriculture Minister (2004–14) he oversaw record grain harvests and the National Food Security Mission, though he faced criticism over food inflation and farm distress.
Kingmaker
Over six decades Pawar has been known as a master strategist able to build unlikely coalitions, most notably the 2019 Maha Vikas Aghadi that brought the Shiv Sena together with the NCP and Congress. He was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2004 and recovered. His daughter Supriya Sule has represented Baramati in the Lok Sabha since 2009.
Later career
In 2019 Pawar was the architect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition that made Uddhav Thackeray Chief Minister. In 2023 his nephew Ajit Pawar led a split in the NCP and was later recognised by the Election Commission as controlling the party; Sharad Pawar’s faction became the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2017. His daughter Supriya Sule represents Baramati in the Lok Sabha.
Timeline
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1940
Born in Baramati, Pune district, Bombay Presidency (now Maharashtra)
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1967
Elected MLA from Baramati
Aged 27.
-
1978
Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Youngest in the state’s history.
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1978
Forms the Progressive Democratic Front government
Youngest Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
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1991
Union Defence Minister
Until 1993; then Chief Minister again.
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1999
Founds the Nationalist Congress Party
-
2004
Union Agriculture Minister
Until 2014.
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2004
Survives oral cancer
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2005
BCCI president
Until 2008.
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2010
President of the ICC
Until 2012.
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2017
Padma Vibhushan
-
2019
Architect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi
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2023
NCP splits
Leads the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).
Awards and honours
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Padma Vibhushan
2017 · India’s second-highest civilian honour.
Did you know?
-
1
He became Maharashtra’s youngest Chief Minister at 38.
-
2
He has headed both the BCCI and the ICC.
-
3
He has never lost an election he contested.
Gallery
Connections
Related people
-
Uddhav Thackeray
Politics & Leadership · President of Shiv Sena (UBT); Chief Minister of Maharashtra (2019–2022)
Ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi
-
Sonia Gandhi
Politics & Leadership · Longest-serving president of the Indian National Congress
Former party leader
-
Devendra Fadnavis
Politics & Leadership · Chief Minister of Maharashtra since 2024
Political opponent
Frequently asked
Who is Sharad Pawar?
Sharad Pawar is one of Maharashtra’s most influential politicians, a four-time Chief Minister and former Union Minister of Defence and Agriculture. He founded the Nationalist Congress Party in 1999 and has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 2014.
How old is Sharad Pawar?
Sharad Pawar is 85 years old, born on 12 December 1940 in Baramati, Pune district, Bombay Presidency (now Maharashtra).
Where is Sharad Pawar from?
Sharad Pawar was born in Baramati, Pune district, Bombay Presidency (now Maharashtra).
What is Sharad Pawar known for?
Sharad Pawar is best known for Founding the NCP; Union Agriculture and Defence Minister; BCCI and ICC president.
What awards has Sharad Pawar received?
Notable honours include Padma Vibhushan (2017).
Who is Sharad Pawar married to?
Spouse: Pratibha Pawar.
References
- Sharad Pawar — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Sharad Pawar — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Sharad Pawar — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Sharad Pawar (Q982813) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Sharad Pawar.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/sharad-pawar
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