Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, a senior leader with deep roots in the RSS and BJP, was elected on Tuesday as India’s 15th Vice President, becoming the third leader from Tamil Nadu to hold the position. At 67, Radhakrishnan succeeds Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned unexpectedly on July 21.
Described by well-wishers as a ‘Pachai Tamizhan’ (true-blue Tamil), Radhakrishnan was serving as the Governor of Maharashtra when the BJP-led NDA nominated him for the vice presidency. A soft-spoken and non-confrontational leader, he brings decades of political and administrative experience to the role, which also includes serving as the ex officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Radhakrishnan’s political journey began as a teenager when he joined the RSS. He rose through its ranks and later became a key leader in the BJP, holding positions such as secretary and state president of the party in Tamil Nadu. He was a two-term Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure and was once close to becoming a Union minister in 1998.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised his credentials, saying, “Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji has rich experience as MP and Governor of various states. His Parliamentary interventions were always incisive. During his gubernatorial tenures, he focused on addressing challenges faced by common citizens. These experiences ensured that he has vast knowledge of legislative and Constitutional matters. I am confident he will be an inspiring Vice President.”
Radhakrishnan belongs to the Kongu Vellalar Gounder community and is highly respected across party lines in Tamil Nadu. The BJP has entrusted him with multiple gubernatorial assignments in Jharkhand, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Puducherry. His nomination also marks the first time a South Indian OBC leader has been chosen for the vice president’s office, a move seen as politically significant.
Known for his clean image and administrative acumen, Radhakrishnan is also an avid sportsperson, having been a college champion in table tennis and a long-distance runner. His tenure as Tamil Nadu BJP president included a 93-day, 19,000-km Rath Yatra, highlighting key issues such as linking Indian rivers, eradicating terrorism, implementing a uniform civil code, combating untouchability, and tackling narcotic drug abuse.
Born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and has dedicated most of his life to public service through politics, demonstrating a consistent record of electoral, organizational, and constitutional responsibilities.
