Harshvardhan Patil
Harshvardhan Patil is a seasoned Indian politician renowned for his extensive involvement in the cooperative sugar industry. He has served as a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Indapur constituency across multiple terms, holding significant ministerial positions, including Minister of State for Agriculture and Marketing (1995–1999) and Cabinet Minister for Marketing and Employment Guarantee (2001–2004). In 2008, he was appointed as the Cabinet Minister for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs. After a brief tenure with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2019, he rejoined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in October 2024.
In August 2024, Patil was elected as the President of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd. (NFCSF), a pivotal role in India’s sugar cooperative sector. Under his leadership, the NFCSF has been instrumental in promoting cooperative sugar mills and advocating for the welfare of sugarcane farmers. For instance, in August 2024, he presented the “Best Sugar Factory” award to the Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Factory, recognizing its outstanding achievements in sugarcane crushing and financial stability. Additionally, in November 2024, Patil refuted allegations of exploitation of sugarcane harvesting laborers in Maharashtra, emphasizing the federation’s commitment to worker welfare and addressing misinformation that could impact the sugar industry.