Try GOLD - Free
Rise & Rise of a Tested, Trusted Swayamsevak
The New Indian Express Chennai
|August 18, 2025
Amid border talks with China, no cut in LAC security deployment
CHANDRAPURAM Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, 67, a veteran BJP leader and lifelong RSS swayamsevak, is poised to become India's Vice-President, making him the third Tamil Nadu-born leader to occupy the nation's second-highest constitutional office. He follows in the footsteps of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1952-62) and R Venkataraman (1984-87), both of whom later rose to the presidency.
Born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur—the "knitwear capital of India" in Tamil Nadu's Kongu belt—Radhakrishnan was drawn to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) early. At just 17, he joined the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, the political forerunner to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
This story is from the August 18, 2025 edition of The New Indian Express Chennai.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The New Indian Express Chennai
The New Indian Express
Cauvery restoration project likely to take off only after election
DURING the NDA’s election campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Maduranthakam, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami accused the state government of delaying the Nadanthaai Vaazhi Cauvery scheme, a river restoration project estimated at ₹14,000 crore.
2 mins
February 10, 2026
The New Indian Express
WHEN CHAOS TAKES OVER HEART'S RHYTHM
INSIDE the human chest, a tireless engine performs a rhythmic masterpiece roughly one hundred thousand times a day.
3 mins
February 10, 2026
The New Indian Express
Stalin inaugurates ₹9,000-cr Tata Motors-JLR plant in Ranipet
SIXTEEN months after the foundation stone was laid, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday inaugurated Tata Motors’ ₹9,000-crore greenfield manufacturing facility at Panapakkam in Ranipet district.
2 mins
February 10, 2026
The New Indian Express
U-turn as Pak to play India in T20WC
THE Pakistan government on Monday directed its team to play the upcoming T20 World Cup game against India in Colombo on February 15.
1 min
February 10, 2026
The New Indian Express
Brothers in arms: Born in Aus, play in Italy
“WE probably still think we’re better at rugby than we are at cricket,” laughs Benjamin Manenti, sitting next to his brother Harry.
2 mins
February 10, 2026
The New Indian Express
Faith against hate
ON Republic Day, a group of people descended on septuagenarian shopkeeper Wakeel Ahmad in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand.
2 mins
February 10, 2026
The New Indian Express
Won't allow any impediments in Bengal SIR: SC
Election Commission alleges deliberate attempt to paralyse the process in the state
2 mins
February 10, 2026
The New Indian Express
Railway min refutes Stalin's claims on projects, sidesteps vital issues
CM says land acquired for 179 km; Vaishnaw refers to different project, says 86% pending
2 mins
February 10, 2026
The New Indian Express
4 boccia players from TN win national medals
FOUR persons from Tamil Nadu won medals at the 10th Senior National Boccia Championship 2025-26, held by the Boccia Sports Federation of India at Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, from January 27 to February 3.
1 min
February 10, 2026
The New Indian Express
SC says ₹54K cr frauds in digital arrest cases ‘absolute robbery’, calls for SoP
TERMING the siphoning of over %54,000 crore by digital frauds as “absolute robbery or dacoity,” the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to create a standard operating procedure in consultation with stakeholders like the RBI, banks and the Department of Telecommunications to deal with such cases.
1 min
February 10, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size