New Delhi: Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan on Friday took oath as the 15th Vice President of India at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Union ministers, and leaders from across the political spectrum. Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar also attended the event.
Radhakrishnan was elected to the post after securing 452 first-preference votes in the vice-presidential election, defeating opposition nominee B. Sudershan Reddy, who polled 300 votes.
Before assuming office, Radhakrishnan served as the Governor of Maharashtra. Seen as a non-confrontational leader with a long association with the RSS, he has pledged to uphold constitutional values and work for the country’s development.
As Vice President, he will also serve as the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
With his swearing-in, Radhakrishnan begins his tenure with the stated aim of maintaining the dignity of the office and fostering cooperation across party lines.