New Delhi: Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th vice president of India on Friday. He subsequently took over as chairman of the Rajya Sabha in his parliamentary office. The oath was administered by President Droupadi Murmu during a brief ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and various Union ministers. Radhakrishnan, dressed in a red kurta, took the oath in English in the name of God. President Murmu congratulated him following the oath. He replaces Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned unexpectedly on July 21 for health reasons, prompting an election. Radhakrishnan won the vice-presidential election on Tuesday, defeating the joint opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy by a margin of 152 votes.
Dhankhar attended the ceremony, marking his first public appearance since his resignation. He was seated in the front row beside his predecessor M Venkaiah Naidu and engaged in conversation with him. Former vice president Hamid Ansari was also present next to Naidu. Dhankhar’s wife, Sudesh Dhankhar, was in attendance as well. Alongside Modi, key figures such as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, and BJP president J P Nadda occupied front-row seats. Other notable attendees included former president Ram Nath Kovind, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and several chief ministers. Chief Justice of India B R Gavai was seated next to Birla.
Veteran BJP leader and former Union minister Murli Manohar Joshi also participated in the ceremony. The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and other opposition leaders were present and exchanged greetings with Radhakrishnan. Kharge was seated in the second row. Dhankhar’s term was set to end on August 10, 2027. According to the Constitution, a vice president entering office due to a vacancy from death or resignation is entitled to a full five-year term. Radhakrishnan’s term will extend until September 11, 2030.
After the swearing-in, he paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial at Rajghat, honored former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Sadaiv Atal, and paid respects to former prime minister Charan Singh at Kisan Ghat. Back in Parliament, he assumed his role as chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, where he is the ex-officio chairman of the Upper House. Radhakrishnan offered floral tributes at the statues of significant leaders, freedom fighters, and social reformers at the Prerna Sthal in the Parliament House complex, welcomed by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and L Murugan. Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody was also present.