Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday.
President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Union Ministers, and leaders from across the political spectrum.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and several other cabinet colleagues were in attendance, along with former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Radhakrishnan’s election to the post came after he secured 452 first-preference votes in the Vice Presidential election, defeating opposition candidate B. Sudershan Reddy, who received 300 votes.
Prior to his new role, Radhakrishnan served as the Governor of Maharashtra. Widely regarded as a non-confrontational leader with roots in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), his candidacy drew broad acceptance from both government and opposition benches.
Following his victory, he pledged to uphold constitutional values, strengthen democratic institutions, and work for the nation’s development.
As Vice President, Radhakrishnan will also serve as the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. His tenure begins with a promise to preserve the dignity of the office and act as a bridge across political divides.
The oath-taking marks the beginning of a new chapter for the vice-presidential office and sets the tone for his role in the years ahead.
