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).A founding foot soldier of the BJP since its inception in 1980, Radhakrishnan has held multiple key roles in the party’s Tamil Nadu unit, including State President (2004–07). His 19,000-km, 93-day Rath Yatra across Tamil Nadu during this period spotlighted issues ranging from river-linking and counter-terrorism to social reform and anti-drug campaigns. He later led two more padayatras for separate causes.Radhakrishnan entered Parliament from Coimbatore in 1998 and retained the seat in 1999. He contested the same constituency multiple times, finishing strong even in 2014 — when the BJP went solo, with nearly 3.9 lakh votes. During his time in Parliament, he served as Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles and was a member of panels on PSUs, finance, and the stock exchange scam.Beyond politics, Radhakrishnan holds a BBA and made his mark as an entrepreneur. Between 1985 and 1998, he pioneered the export of 100% cotton knitted fabric to Bangladesh and developed textile links with countries across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.In administrative roles, he was Chairman of the Coir Board (2016–2020) and later BJP’s Kerala in-charge (2020–22). His appointment as Governor of Jharkhand in February 2023 marked a transition from party politics to constitutional office. In his first four months as governor, Radhakrishnan toured all 24 districts. He briefly held additional charges as Governor of Telangana and Lt. Governor of Puducherry. Since July 2024, he has been Governor of Maharashtra.Known for his grassroots connect and political adaptability, Radhakrishnan has maintained cordial relations across party lines including recent gestures such as visiting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to inquire about his health.Though he has remained outspoken on national issues, Radhakrishnan ruled out any return to active politics. “An advocate after becoming a judge cannot go back to being an advocate… I don’t think about returning to active politics,” he said in a recent interview, drawing a parallel with his gubernatorial responsibilities.A tireless campaigner, a disciplined ideologue, and a seasoned parliamentarian, Radhakrishnan’s elevation to the Vice-Presidency marks a symbolic coming-of-age for the BJP in Tamil Nadu, a state where the party still seeks a significant electoral breakthrough.
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