From RSS Roots To India’s 15th Vice President: The Rise Of CP Radhakrishnan

On September 9, 2025, Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, a veteran BJP leader and staunch RSS member, offered prayers at Ram Mandir hours before his election as India’s 15th Vice President. Born in 1957 in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan’s journey began at 16 with the RSS, shaping his disciplined life. A table tennis champion and BBA graduate from V.O. Chidambaram College, he joined the Jan Sangh’s Tamil Nadu executive in 1974. By 1980, at 23, he became an aide to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, marking the start of a remarkable political career. Elected to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore in 1998 and 1999, Radhakrishnan played a pivotal role in forging BJP’s alliances with AIADMK, even navigating the DMK’s exit from the NDA in 2004. As Tamil Nadu BJP president (2004-2006), he strengthened the party’s southern roots. Despite electoral losses in 2014 and 2019, his loyalty earned him key roles: Governor of Jharkhand (2023), Telangana, Puducherry, and Maharashtra (2024). Following Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation, the NDA chose Radhakrishnan as its Vice Presidential candidate, leveraging his experience and OBC Gounder community roots. At 67, Radhakrishnan’s journey from a grassroots RSS worker to the second-highest constitutional office reflects his dedication and strategic acumen. This video explores his rise, his Ram Mandir visit, and his vision as Vice President.