 "Throughout his New York Mayor electoral campaign, Zohran Mamdani has highlighted his family’s religious and cultural diversity. File. Image/Reuters")
Zohran Kwame Mamdani has made history by becoming New York City’s first Indian-origin Muslim mayor, and also its youngest in more than a century.
The 34-year-old Democrat clinched victory in a high-stakes three-way race, defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani, who had entered the general election as the clear favourite after winning the Democratic primary by a 12-point margin earlier this year, will now succeed Mayor Eric Adams. Adams had withdrawn from his reelection bid in September but remained on the ballot.
Beyond his political triumph, what’s striking is Mamdani’s personal story, a young Muslim man with deep roots in India, now leading America’s biggest and most influential city.
Here’s a look at that connection.
Zohran Mamdani’s India link
Zohran Mamdani’s connection to India runs deep through his mother, Mira Nair — the acclaimed Indian-American filmmaker behind iconic films like Salaam Bombay!, Monsoon Wedding, and The Namesake.
His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a renowned academic and writer. The family’s journey took them from Cape Town to New York City, where Zohran arrived at the age of seven.
Interestingly, Nair met Mahmood Mamdani while scouting locations for her 1991 film Mississippi Masala — a cross-cultural love story starring Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury that delved into the expulsion of Indians from Uganda under Idi Amin’s rule.
Mahmood was among those forced to leave Uganda, and their meeting eventually led to marriage. The couple moved often due to his work before finally settling in New York.
Zohran grew up in New York and completed his schooling at Bronx High School of Science, and later went on to earn a degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College in 2014. While at Bowdoin, he co-founded the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.
Zohran also contributed to his mother’s projects. When Nair later directed Queen of Katwe (2016), a widely acclaimed film, he contributed to casting and direction.
Today, Mamdani shares his life with Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist whom he met on a dating app. The two got engaged in October 2024 and married in a simple courthouse ceremony this February at the city clerk’s office in Lower Manhattan.
Bollywood song, Nehru-inspired speech: Mamdani evokes India connect after victory
Mamdani has never shied away from celebrating his Indian roots.
After his historic victory, Mamdani addressed his supporters with a moving speech inspired by Jawaharlal Nehru’s iconic “Tryst with Destiny” address, delivered on the eve of India’s independence in 1947.
“Standing before you, I think of the words of Jawaharlal Nehru. A moment comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance. Tonight, we have stepped out from the old into the new,” Mamdani said, echoing Nehru’s words.
As the speech began to end, Mamdani got a Bollywood spin as ‘Dhoom Machale’, the title track from the Bollywood movie ‘Dhoom’ began to play.
This was not surprising as throughout his campaign, Mamdani shared posted videos in Hindi, filled with references to classic Bollywood films and dialogues.
Movie director Zoya Akhtar praised Mamdani in an Instagram story, captioning it “Zohran, you beauty”, with emojis of hearts and fireworks. Mira Nair also reshared the story.
Previously, Mamdani had also highlighted his family’s religious and cultural diversity.
During visits to two of New York’s oldest Hindu temples in Queens, he reflected on the values and traditions passed down from his mother’s side.
“I am proud that I would be the first Indian-American mayor of this city. I’m proud that my mother’s family is Hindu. And while I am Muslim, I grew up with a keen understanding of what Hinduism means — the stories, the festivals, the faith. Whether it’s Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, Holi — these are values I hold dear today," he said.
He went on to add, “For Gujaratis, Punjabis, for Indians across the city and the world, I would not be here were it not for the family that raised me. Those are the ideals that make me proud to be an Indian-American."
What are Mamdani’s plans for New York City?
Taking inspiration from democratic socialist leader Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani ran his campaign on an unapologetically progressive agenda aimed at transforming life in New York City.
His vision includes measures like freezing rents, making buses and childcare free, creating a Department of Community Safety, opening city-run grocery stores in food deserts, and gradually raising the minimum wage to $30 by 2030.
On global issues, Mamdani has taken clear stands — particularly on Israel-Palestine. He supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, opposes illegal settlements, and consistently calls for ceasefires in Gaza. He has also emphasised the need to reject antisemitism while recognising Israel’s right to exist.
Domestically, he has advocated for stronger anti-discrimination laws and voiced his opposition to cuts in gender-affirming healthcare.
His campaign drew immense grassroots energy, and over 20,000 volunteers joined his movement, canvassing neighbourhoods across the city. He also received endorsements from several progressive heavyweights, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Working Families Party, and United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain.
“I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City,” Mamdani had told supporters earlier.
“I will be the mayor for every New Yorker — whether you voted for me, for Governor Cuomo, or felt too disillusioned by a long-broken political system to vote at all. I will work to be a mayor you will be proud to call your own.”
With input from agencies
Sayli Dhodapkar is currently working as a Sub-Editor at Firstpost Editorial team.