New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) As Chandrapuram Ponnusami Radhakrishnan took oath as the 15th Vice President of India, an old photograph featuring him with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from 2003 resurfaced on Friday and quickly went viral on social media.

The image, shared by the handle ‘Modi Archive’ on platform X, captures a moment from August 1, 2003, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The caption read, “Narendra Modi with Chandrapuram Ponnusami Radhakrishnan, now the 15th Vice President of India.”

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi extended his congratulations to Radhakrishnan, praising his lifelong dedication to public service and democratic ideals.

“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 strengthening democratic values. Wishing him a successful Vice Presidential tenure, dedicated to the service of the people,” the PM said.

The swearing-in ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Radhakrishnan. The event was attended by prominent political leaders across party lines, 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 follows his decisive victory in the Vice-Presidential election, where he garnered 452 first-preference votes, defeating opposition-backed candidate B. Sudershan Reddy, who secured 300 votes. His election is widely regarded as a consensus-building move, owing to his moderate political stance and non-confrontational demeanour.

Before assuming office as Vice President, Radhakrishnan served as the Governor of Maharashtra, a post he held from July 31, 2024, until stepping down after his election. He has also previously served as Governor of Jharkhand, Telangana, and as 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.

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

In 1996, CP Radhakrishnan was appointed Secretary of the BJP in Tamil Nadu. He was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time from Coimbatore in 1998 and re-elected in 1999. During his tenure as an MP, he served as Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles. He was also a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and the Consultative Committee on Finance. Additionally, he was a member of the Parliamentary Special Committee investigating the Stock Exchange Scam.

In 2004, Radhakrishnan addressed the UN General Assembly as part of the Parliamentary Delegation. He was also a member of the first Parliamentary Delegation to Taiwan.

Between 2004 and 2007, Radhakrishnan served as the State President of the BJP in Tamil Nadu. In this role, he undertook a 19,000 km ‘Ratha Yatra’ that lasted 93 days. The Yatra was organised to highlight his demands for linking all Indian rivers, eradicating terrorism, implementing a uniform civil code, removing untouchability, and combating the menace of narcotic drugs. He also led two additional Padayatras for different causes.

In 2016, Radhakrishnan was appointed Chairman of the Coir Board, Kochi, a position he held for four years. Under his leadership, coir exports from India reached 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 18th February 2023, Radhakrishnan was appointed Governor of Jharkhand. Within his first four months, he travelled to all 24 districts of the state, interacting with citizens and district officials. He also held additional charges as Governor of Telangana and as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.

Since taking charge as Governor of Maharashtra, Radhakrishnan has travelled extensively across the state, interacting with people’s representatives, officials, business leaders, and various sections of society.

–IANS

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