New Delhi witnessed a moment of political significance on Friday as Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India. The 67-year-old leader, dressed in a simple red kurta, took oath in English in the name of God at a brief but dignified ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath, extending her congratulations to Radhakrishnan soon after. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Union ministers, leaders across the political spectrum, and several former vice presidents, underlining the importance of the occasion.
Radhakrishnan succeeds Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned from the post on July 21 citing health reasons, a move that surprised many and necessitated a mid-term election. In Tuesday’s vice-presidential poll, Radhakrishnan emerged victorious, defeating the joint opposition candidate, B Sudershan Reddy, by a margin of 152 votes.
The event also turned into a rare gathering of India’s past and present vice presidents. Dhankhar made his first public appearance since stepping down, seated alongside his predecessor M Venkaiah Naidu, with former vice president Hamid Ansari also present in the front row. Dhankhar’s wife, Sudesh Dhankhar, accompanied him, drawing warm gestures from attendees.
On the other side of the aisle, Prime Minister Modi was joined by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, and BJP president J P Nadda. Their presence reflected the political weight attached to the office of the vice president, who also serves as the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Shortly after the oath-taking, Radhakrishnan assumed charge as Rajya Sabha chairman at his office in Parliament. His immediate responsibility will be to navigate the often heated debates in the Upper House, ensuring balance between government and opposition voices.
As India’s 15th vice president, Radhakrishnan’s tenure will be closely watched not just for his role in presiding over the Rajya Sabha but also for how he positions himself as a bridge between parties at a time when parliamentary sessions have become increasingly contentious.
For now, the spotlight remains firmly on his historic swearing-in, which marks the beginning of a new chapter in India’s political landscape.
