New Delhi, Sep 12 (NationPress) As Chandrapuram Ponnusami Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India, an archival photograph featuring him with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from 2003 made waves on social media.

The photograph, shared by the 'Modi Archive' on platform X, captures a moment from August 1, 2003, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The caption stated, "Narendra Modi with Chandrapuram Ponnusami Radhakrishnan, now the 15th Vice President of India."

Earlier that day, Prime Minister Modi congratulated Radhakrishnan, commending his lifelong commitment to public service and democratic principles.

"I attended the oath-taking ceremony of Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji," the Prime Minister posted on X.

"A dedicated public servant, he has devoted his life to nation-building, social service, and reinforcing democratic values. Wishing him a successful Vice Presidential term, dedicated to serving the people," the PM articulated.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Radhakrishnan. The event drew notable political figures from various parties, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and other senior ministers and parliamentarians.

Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was also present to witness the formal transition of leadership.

Radhakrishnan’s appointment comes on the heels of his significant victory in the Vice-Presidential election, where he secured 452 first-preference votes, surpassing the opposition-backed candidate B. Sudershan Reddy, who received 300 votes. His election is viewed as a consensus-building move, attributed to his moderate political stance and non-confrontational demeanor.

Before assuming the Vice Presidency, Radhakrishnan served as the Governor of Maharashtra from July 31, 2024, until his election. His previous roles include Governor of Jharkhand, Telangana, and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.

Born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan began his political journey as a student leader. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and was elected twice to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore. He also served as the BJP’s Tamil Nadu State President from 2004 to 2007.

Hailing from the OBC Gounder community — traditionally aligned with the AIADMK, the BJP’s major ally in Tamil Nadu — Radhakrishnan began his political career in 1974 as a member of the State Executive Committee of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the BJP's predecessor.

In 1996, CP Radhakrishnan was appointed Secretary of the BJP in Tamil Nadu. He first entered the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore in 1998 and was re-elected in 1999. During his tenure as an MP, he served as Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles and was a member of various parliamentary committees.

In 2004, Radhakrishnan represented India at the UN General Assembly as part of the Parliamentary Delegation. He was also part of the inaugural Parliamentary Delegation to Taiwan.

From 2004 to 2007, he served as the State President of the BJP in Tamil Nadu, where he embarked on a 19,000 km 'Ratha Yatra' lasting 93 days, advocating for river linking, eradicating terrorism, implementing a uniform civil code, and combating drug abuse.

In 2016, he was appointed Chairman of the Coir Board, Kochi, a role he held for four years during which coir exports from India hit an all-time high of Rs 2,532 crore. From 2020 to 2022, he was the All India In-Charge of the BJP for Kerala.

On February 18, 2023, Radhakrishnan became the Governor of Jharkhand. In his first four months, he visited all 24 districts of the state, engaging with citizens and officials. He also held additional responsibilities as Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.

Since assuming the role of Governor of Maharashtra, Radhakrishnan has extensively traveled across the state, engaging with representatives, officials, business leaders, and various community sections.