Sharad Govindrao Pawar on Tuesday announced his resignation from the post of NCP president, a significant development for both the party and Pawar himself. While he has not indicated any intention to retire from public life, his departure marks the end of his leadership of NCP, which he founded in 1999. 

Pawar has had an illustrious political career, having served as Chief Minister of Maharashtra for four terms and holding ministerial positions in the Union Cabinet, including portfolios of defence and agriculture under ministries of PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh. 

He currently leads the NCP delegation in the Rajya Sabha and serves as chairperson of Maha Vikas Aghadi, a political alliance in Maharashtra involving Congress and Shiv Sena (U).

Pawar's involvement in politics dates back to his school days. He was an active participant in student politics during his college years. Pawar joined the Congress party in 1958. By 1964, he was one of the secretaries of Maharashtra Youth Congress.

Pawar, who was a protege of Yashwantrao Chavan, was elected as an MLA from the Baramati constituency at the age of 27. He continued to represent the constituency from 1967 to 1990. 

He supported Indira Gandhi during the party split in 1969 and during the emergency. However, when Indira formed Congress (I) in 1977, Pawar sided with Congress (U). Later, he broke away from the party and aligned himself with the Janata Party, eventually becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. At 38, he was the youngest person to hold the position. He returned to Congress (I) in 1987 “to save the Congress Culture in Maharashtra."

In 1999, Pawar formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) along with other Congress leaders challenging the leadership of “Italy-born” Sonia Gandhi. He headed the party and played a key role in national politics. He was considered a kingmaker and instrumental in forming alliances at the national level.

Pawar continued to hold important positions in Indian politics.

Throughout his political career, Pawar has been known for his strategic thinking, sharp political acumen and his ability to navigate complex political situations. He has also been criticised for his alleged involvement in various scams and controversies. Despite this, he remains a prominent figure in Maharashtra politics and continues to wield significant influence in the state and at the national level.

In 2017, there were reports that Pawar was being considered as a potential candidate for the presidential election. However, he ruled himself out of the running. 

In 2019, the NCP once again allied with the Congress party and Shiv Sena to form the government in Maharashtra, after the BJP failed to secure a majority in the state elections. Pawar played a key role in bringing together the three parties to form the coalition government.

Pawar hails from Baramati, a city in Maharashtra. He is the head of the influential Pawar Family, which is well-known in Maharashtra's political circles. His daughter, Supriya Sule, nephew Ajit Pawar, nephew's son Rohit Rajendra Pawar, and other members of his extended family are also involved in politics. Besides politics, Pawar has held several positions in cricket administration, including Chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from 2005 to 2008, President of the International Cricket Council from 2010 to 2012, and President of the Mumbai Cricket Association from October 2013 to January 2017. 

In recognition of his contributions, the union government awarded him the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honour of India, in 2017.