He was born in 1951 into a big worker’s family. After graduating from a technical school he worked as a foreman, chief engineer, head of a construction department. At the same time he was studying at the Polytechnic Institute. From the year 1987 he held a number of responsible positions. In 2000 he was elected first President of the Udmurt Republic. He is Cand. Sc. (Econ.), Merited Builder of the Russian Federation. He was awarded the Order of Friendship, a diploma of Honoured REA academician and the badge “Merited Engineer of Russia”. He is possessor of a best Russian manager diploma.