Viral Throwback: Old Photo of PM Modi and New VP Jagdeep Dhankhar Surfaces Online
A heartwarming old photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the newly sworn-in Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, has taken social media by storm. The image, from way back in 2003, shows a young Modi alongside Chandrapuram Ponnusami Radhakrishnan—now India’s 15th Vice President—during a visit to Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, on August 1. Shared by the ‘Modi Archive’ handle on X (formerly Twitter), the post quickly went viral, with the caption reading: "Narendra Modi with Chandrapuram Ponnusami Radhakrishnan, now the 15th Vice President of India."
This nostalgic moment surfaced just hours after Radhakrishnan took oath as Vice President at a grand ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath, and the event drew top leaders from across parties, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and several senior ministers and MPs. Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar also attended to mark the smooth handover.
Prime Minister Modi led the congratulations, posting on X about attending the oath-taking. "A dedicated public servant, he has devoted his life to nation-building, social service, and strengthening democratic values. Wishing him a successful Vice Presidential tenure, dedicated to the service of the people," Modi wrote, highlighting Radhakrishnan’s long commitment to public service.
Radhakrishnan’s rise to the Vice Presidency came after a clear win in the election, where he bagged 452 first-preference votes against opposition candidate B. Sudershan Reddy’s 300. Many see his victory as a unifying choice, thanks to his calm approach and moderate views that bridge divides.
Before this top role, Radhakrishnan served as Governor of Maharashtra starting July 31, 2024, until his election. He stepped down to take up the Vice President’s post. His impressive track record includes stints as Governor of Jharkhand and Telangana, plus Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. In these positions, he made it a point to connect with people—visiting all 24 districts of Jharkhand in his first four months and traveling widely in Maharashtra to meet officials, business leaders, and everyday citizens.
Born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan kicked off his political journey as a student leader. From the OBC Gounder community—often linked to BJP ally AIADMK in Tamil Nadu—he joined the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJP’s predecessor) in 1974 as a state executive member. With a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, he won Lok Sabha seats from Coimbatore twice—in 1998 and 1999. As an MP, he chaired the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles and served on key panels like the one probing the Stock Exchange Scam.
His global touch? In 2004, he spoke at the UN General Assembly as part of a parliamentary team and joined India’s first delegation to Taiwan. From 2004 to 2007, he led BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit, organizing a massive 19,000-km ‘Ratha Yatra’ over 93 days. The yatra pushed for big ideas like linking India’s rivers, fighting terrorism, a uniform civil code, ending untouchability, and tackling drug abuse. He also led two padayatras for other causes.
Later roles kept him active: In 2016, as Chairman of the Coir Board in Kochi, he boosted India’s coir exports to a record Rs 2,532 crore. From 2020 to 2022, he handled BJP operations in Kerala. His journey from grassroots politics to Vice President shows a life dedicated to service, and fans are loving that 2003 photo as a reminder of his early days with PM Modi.
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