He spent his entire career in the Komsomol and Communist Party apparatus, becoming the republic's most influential politician for almost two decades in the Brezhnev era.

In December 1941, he was drafted into the army, serving as the commander of a gunners' section in the 88th Separate Rifle Brigade of the Central Asian Military District.

During his time in office, the republic received considerable investment in its modernisation of the gas and oil sectors, and living standards rose significantly for the general population.

In 1985, the incoming general secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev, removed Gapurow from his post due to a cotton-related corruption scandal and sent him into retirement.

He wrote several books and articles during the Soviet era, mainly on Communist Party and Turkmenistan development issues.