Vikraman Radhakrishnan is an Indian politician, anchor, and journalist who is known for becoming the first digital media political anchor to participate in the reality television show Bigg Boss Tamil season 6 on Star Vijay (October 2022).
Wiki/Biography
Vikraman R was born on 24 August in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. Vikraman was bought up in Theni.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 8″
Weight (approx.): 70 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
Vikraman’s father’s name is Radha Krishnan. There is not much information available about his mother.
Wife & Children
As of 2022, Vikraman Radhakrishnan is unmarried.
Career
Journalism
Correspondent
Initially, Vikraman worked as a correspondent for Puthiya Thalaimurai TV, which is a Tamil digital news channel headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Political editor
Vikraman worked as a political editor at Galatta Media, which is a media company in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Television
In 2016, Vikraman played the role of Mahesh in the Tamil television show EMI-Thavanai Murai Vazhkai on Sun TV and hosted the television show Nadanthathu Enna? Kutramum Pinnaniyum.
Vikraman Radhakrishnan in a still from the television show EMI-Thavanai Murai Vazhkai
In the same year, he played the role of Vikram in the musical short television series Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa on Vijay TV.
Vikraman Radhakrishnan in a still from the television show Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa
In October 2022, Vikraman appeared as a contestant in the Tamil version of Bigg Boss season 6 on Star Vijay.
Vikraman Radhakrishnan in the Bigg Boss house
Political career
In 2020, Vikraman was appointed as a state spokesperson of the Liberation Tigers Party. On 26 February 2021, Vikraman was appointed as a spokesperson of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Kachi (VCK) party in Tamilnadu, founded by Thol Thirumalavalan. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Kachi (VCK) is an Indian political party, which aims at eradicating caste-based discrimination.
Vikraman Radhakrishnan officiated as the spokesperson for Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi
In an interview, Vikraman recalled an incident, which made him dive into politics after working as a journalist and said,
During Covid, a woman contacted me on social media and appealed for help stating that her brother was unwell. She told me that her parents were quite old and that they lived abroad. She called it a desperate situation and asked if I could help her. As a journalist, I had a set of followers, and I tweeted about it. An ambulance was soon ready at her disposal and the state’s CM, too, replied to me. So, I used this attention that I got in a productive way. But a lone man with an ideology doesn’t get you far. You need more people around you who are of the same thoughts and ideology as you to make things happen. I am someone who believes that the justice you get in the Legislative Assembly is more important than the one you get in the court. Even if you can’t do something, you should make those in power do it. It’s the end result that matters.”
Controversies
Accused Sumanth C. Raman of caste discrimination
Vikraman accused Sumanth C. Raman, a Tamil television anchor and sports commentator, of ill-treating and discriminating against the people based on their caste. Vikraman alleged that when he went to his house for an interview, he was denied a glass of water, even after several requests. He took to Twitter and posted,
When I came to your house to interview you, you sent me back without even giving me a glass of water. When I asked for it it to you myself, you suggested me to receive water from the watchman. Why is that ??”
Sumanth addressed his allegations as baseless and demanded to withdraw his statement with an apology. Vikraman replied to his tweet, which read,
Even two cameramen were accompanying me at that time. Don’t threaten a journalist. Our truth will triumph”
சார் நான் நடந்ததை சொன்னேன். என்னுடன் இரண்டு கேமரா மேன்களும் இருந்தனர். பத்திரிகைகாரனை மிரட்ட வேண்டாம். எங்கள் அறம் வெல்லும்.
— Vikraman R (@RVikraman) November 22, 2020
However, Sumanth denied Vikram’s allegation and threatened to take legal actions against him to which he replied with a tweet,
“I am not going to fear for these kind of gimmicks. Truth will triumph”
Remarked as anti-Hindu
In June 2022, during a debate on the English news channel Times Now, Vikraman insulted the Hindu god Lord Krishna, and he passed an offensive statement about Lord Krishna’s illegitimate relationship with the Gopis (devotees of Krishna) in his youth. He said,
Krishna’s young age life was full of illicit (immoral) love affairs with the women of Vrindavan. It was called Rasleela.”
The statement passed by Vikraman was found offensive by several people as it hurt their religious sentiments. He was addressed as anti-Hindu for passing such derogatory remarks on the Hindu god. Rahul Easwar, a Hindu philosophy author, expressed his objection to Vikraman’s statement and said,
Shri Krishna’s relationship with the Gopis was not illicit but was a spiritual bond. Making such remarks about Hindu Deities is nothing but Hinduphobia. In this way, people try to belittle Hindu culture and beliefs. They make vulgar and offensive statements.
FIR filed for passing objectionable remarks
In June 2022, an FIR was filed by Delhi police against the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and 31 other people, which included Vikraman Radhakrishnan, for allegedly passing provocative remarks, which supposedly promote hatred among the different communities on social media. He, along with 31 other people, was booked under sections 153, 153A, 153B, 295A, 298, 504, 505 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Accused of Sexual Harassment
Reportedly, in April 2021, Vikraman was accused of sexually harassing a man on account of conducting an audition for a film. The victim alleged that Vikraman was a gay who called him at his place to take his audition, but instead, molested him. Sharing his experience with a meme page on Instagram, the victim said,
He called me in the name of audition to a house and made me act. Then he pushed me to the bed and sexually harassed me. I couldn’t do anything at that time. His friends later called and scolded him. He put away my shirt in a cupboard and locked it. I had to struggle to get my shirt back from him. He later begged me to not disclose this incident to anyone and that he would help me get a chance in films. Then he blocked me. I couldn’t do anything as many told me that he has many political connections and knows several bigshots. They told me that I won’t be able to do anything to him”.
Favourites
- Cuisine(s): Thai and South Indian
- Holiday Destination: Rome and Macau
Facts/Trivia
- During his school days, Vikraman faced discrimination on the basis of his caste. He made a tweet to share his experience, which read,
“I went to a Brahmin’s house to raise fund for the Kargil war during my school days. At that time, I happened to see them washing the place I sat”
பள்ளி மாணவனாக கார்கில் நிவாரண நிதிதிரட்ட ஒரு பிராமணர் வீட்டுக்கு சென்றிருந்தபோது நான் அமர்ந்த இடத்தை என் கண்முன்னே கழுவிவிட்டார்கள். 80 ஆண்டுகளாக நீங்கள் ஒடுக்கப்பட்டீர்கள் என்கிறீர்களே @sumanthraman நியாயமா?
— Vikraman R (@RVikraman) November 22, 2020
- Vikraman is an ardent follower of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Periyar. He follows the principles of his idols and is against the Sanatana Dharma. In an interview, he expressed his opinion against the Sanatana Dharma and said,
We follow the principles of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Periyar who have been vocal against Sanatan Dharma. Sanatan Dharma is a dharma which promotes caste inequality, has inhuman values and divides the society into castes. Any human who has understood the concept of Sanatan Dharma will definitely be against it. The party which is promoting social justice, equality will always be against Sanatan Dharma.
- Vikraman often criticizes the BJP government and Narendra Modi, the 14th prime minister of India, through his social media posts.
Stooping to new lows @timesofindia. Isaignani @ilaiyaraaja is reduced to “a Dalit from Tamil Nadu”. This is what exactly the filthy BJP and it’s parivar wanted. pic.twitter.com/DruCVUazlt
— Vikraman R (@RVikraman) July 7, 2022
“ஓ மை காட்” @PMOIndia @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/Tf3PQYTmjA
— Vikraman R (@RVikraman) May 3, 2022
- In May 2022, Vikraman took to Twitter to oppose the decision of the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) to use the Hindi language as far as possible for official communication.
புதுச்சேரி ஜிப்மரில் அலுவல் மொழியாக இனி ஹிந்தி மட்டுமே பயன்படுத்த வேண்டும் எனும் சுற்றறிக்கை புதுச்சேரி அலுவல்மொழிகள் சட்டம்,1965 மற்றும் அலுவல்மொழி விதிகள்,1976[பிரிவு 11(2)] படி சட்டத்திற்கு புறம்பானது. உடனே இதை திரும்பப்பெற வேண்டும். #stopHindiImposition pic.twitter.com/kZd3y8gvUS
— Vikraman R (@RVikraman) May 8, 2022
- On July 2022, Vikraman received a Net Zero Fellowship from the School of Policy and Governance.
Vikraman Radhakrishnan posing after receiving the Net Zero Fellowship from the School of Policy and Governance