C. P. Radhakrishnan took oath today as the 15th Vice President of India. The ceremony happened at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath. Alongside were senior dignitaries and leaders from various parties. Radhakrishnan will also serve as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. He defeated B. Sudershan Reddy, the Opposition candidate, in the vice presidential election held 9 September 2025. Radhakrishnan secured 452 votes while Reddy got 300. The margin of 152 votes confirmed Radhakrishnan’s win. Total turnout among Members of Parliament stood at over 98 per cent.
Born 4 May 1957 in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Chandrapuram Ponnusami, known as C. P. Radhakrishnan, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Early in his life he joined RSS and Bharatiya Janasangh, then moved into active politics. He represented Coimbatore in Lok Sabha in 1998 and 1999. Later he became Governor in different states including Maharashtra, Jharkhand and held additional charge in Puducherry.
After oath, Radhakrishnan visited Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. He also paid respects to former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Chaudhary Charan Singh, and to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
His election follows resignation of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. Dhankhar stepped down in July citing health reasons. Radhakrishnan inherits a role that carries constitutional significance though largely ceremonial. His effectiveness will depend on how he navigates his position as Rajya Sabha chair, maintaining dignity of the institution while working with diverse political voices.
