On Friday, September 12, 2025, Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India during a formal ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to the 67-year-old leader, who donned a red kurta for the occasion. The event was attended by dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP President J.P. Nadda, and former Vice Presidents Hamid Ansari and Venkaiah Naidu.
Radhakrishnan’s election to the vice-presidency followed his victory in the vice-presidential election held on September 9, 2025. He secured 452 first-preference votes, defeating the opposition’s candidate, retired Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, who received 300 votes. The election was necessitated by the resignation of the then incumbent, Jagdeep Dhankhar, on July 21 due to health issues.
Background and Political Career
Born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan began his political journey as a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1998 from Coimbatore, defeating the incumbent M. Ramanathan of the DMK. He was re-elected in 1999, contributing to the BJP’s presence in Tamil Nadu. Radhakrishnan served as the state president of the BJP in Tamil Nadu from 2004 to 2006 and was involved in organizing the party’s state unit in Kerala during the 2000s.
In 2016, Radhakrishnan was appointed as the Chairman of the Coir Board of India, a position he held until 2020. He has also been a member of the BJP’s national executive. In recent years, he served as the Governor of Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Telangana, and Puducherry, positions that allowed him to engage with various regional issues and governance challenges.
Vice-Presidential Election and Aftermath
The vice-presidential election was held following the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar. Radhakrishnan’s candidacy was endorsed by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), while the opposition parties, under the INDIA alliance, fielded Justice B. Sudershan Reddy. Despite the opposition’s efforts, Radhakrishnan secured a decisive victory, reflecting the NDA’s strong presence in the electoral college.
In the aftermath of the election, Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat was assigned the additional responsibility of discharging the duties of the Governor of Maharashtra until a full-time replacement is appointed.
Radhakrishnan’s election as Vice President is notable for several reasons. He is the third Tamilian to hold this position, following Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and R. Venkataraman. His appointment underscores the BJP’s strategy to strengthen its presence in southern India and to present a leader with extensive experience in both governance and party organization.
As Vice President, Radhakrishnan will also serve as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, a role that involves overseeing legislative proceedings and ensuring the smooth functioning of the upper house of Parliament. His extensive experience in public life and governance is expected to contribute to the effective discharge of his duties in this capacity.
The ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan marked a significant moment in India’s political landscape, reflecting the country’s democratic processes and the continuity of its constitutional institutions.
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