Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan Sworn in as 15th Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman

Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan took oath today as the 15th Vice President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, administered by President Smt Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Shri Radhakrishnan, formerly the Governor of Maharashtra, assumes the second-highest constitutional office in the country.

Following the swearing-in, Shri Radhakrishnan paid tributes at several prominent sites, including Rajghat to Mahatma Gandhi, Sadaiv Atal to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deendayal Upadhyaya Marg to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, and Kisan Ghat to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.

Profile Highlights of Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan:

• Early Life & Education: Born on 4 May 1957 in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Starting as an RSS Swayamsevak, he became a State Executive Committee member of the Bharatiya Janasangh in 1974. Before entering politics, he had a successful career as a garment exporter.
• Political & Public Life: Radhakrishnan has held multiple key positions, including BJP Secretary in Tamil Nadu (1996), Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore (1998 & 1999), Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles, and member of committees on PSUs, Finance, and Stock Exchange Scam investigation. He served as State President of BJP Tamil Nadu (2004–2007), undertaking extensive Ratha Yatras and Padayatras to promote causes like linking Indian rivers, combating terrorism, and eradicating untouchability. Between 2016 and 2020, he was Chairman of Coir Board, Kochi, boosting coir exports to an all-time high. He later served as All India In-Charge of BJP Kerala, Governor of Jharkhand (2023), Governor of Telangana and Puducherry (additional charge), and finally Governor of Maharashtra.
• Personal Life & Interests: Married to Smt Sumathi R., he has a son and a daughter. An avid sportsperson, he excelled in table tennis, long-distance running, cricket, and volleyball. Shri Radhakrishnan has also travelled widely across Europe, Asia, the USA, and the Middle East.

Shri Radhakrishnan has focused on tribal welfare, higher education, and improving participation in universities, and has actively monitored programs like ‘School Connect’ to empower students, especially in Maharashtra.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by top dignitaries from across the political, administrative, and judicial spectrum, highlighting the importance of this constitutional office in India’s parliamentary democracy.