Prior to Sharma's appointment as governor, he was a general secretary of the Indian National Congress Party, a position to which he was appointed in 2003. He was also the Speaker of the Rajasthan Assembly from 1998 to 2003. He was the petroleum minister in 1985 under Congress government.
Literary, artistic and scientific accomplishments
• Editor of ‘Socialist India' and ‘Socialist Bharat'; Columnist • Honoured with Honorary D'Litt for his Gandhian ideology and constructive work by Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth University, Varanasi in 1998. • Has worked as Secretary of Gandhi Smriti for nearly three years. • Member of the Board of Rural Electrification Corporation, Govt. of India for Jaipur District Rural Electrification which was a pioneer programme for Rajasthan and the success of the programme in this District led to large scale rural electrification in many districts of Rajasthan. Social and Cultural Activities: • Upliftment of Adivasi people and removal of untouchability. • Organised convention for non-resident Rajasthanis living in and outside the country. • Organised national and international sports events Kavi Sammelan and Mushara to celebrate the golden jubilee celebrations.
Special interests
Participated in the freedom movement during his student life. He has great interest for development of Khadi and Gramodhyog and Cooperative Movement, tribal welfare and is associated with the activities of Rajasthan Adim Jati Sevak Sangh and has also been associated with for long with the activities of Harijan Sevak Sangh which looks after upliftment of Scheduled Castes. He takes keen interest in creating awareness of education amongst the minorities and is associated with a few minority educational institutions. He is concerned with the unemployment problem of the youth more particularly rural and through khadi institutions he wants to encourage village artisan and rural youth to set up of cottage industries. He has been associated with Khadi Movement and constructive work for more than 40–50 years. He holds a responsible position in the Sanchalak Mandal of Kshetriya Khadi Samiti, Dausa for nearly 40 years. This is one of the pioneer khadi institution in the country. He is also an active member of the Sanchalak Mandal of Udyog Mandir, Amber. He has also keen interest in Indian culture and its development and Sanskrit language. As member of Parliament, he visited various countries of the world including U.K., U.S.A, Argentina, Brazil, Vietnam, Uganda, Egypt, Greece, Spain, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Mauritius, China, South African countries, Cuba, Hungry, Switzerland, Germany and almost all States of former USSR. He attended as the Leader of the Indian delegation in Norway in a conference which was organized by UNESCO and also visited Sweden and Denmark.
