Who is Zohran Mamdani, Mira Nair's son, who is contesting in the NYC mayoral polls?

Zohran Mamdani, the Indian-origin New York State Assemblyman and son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, is making waves as an unexpected contender in the 2025 New York City mayoral race.

The 33-year-old, who represents Queens, has jumped into second place in newly released polls, putting him within the striking distance of the current frontrunner, former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Once considered a relatively low-profile figure, Mamdani has quickly built momentum thanks to a mix of strong fundraising, progressive ideas, and social media savvy. Inspired by Senator Bernie Sanders, Mamdani is pitching himself as the bold alternative to Cuomo.

If elected, Zohran Mamdani would be New York City’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor.

Here’s a closer look at who he is and why he’s being called the candidate to watch.

Who is Zohran Mamdani?

-Zohran Mamdani was born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a well-known Indian-born Ugandan Marxist scholar, while his mother is acclaimed Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair.

-When he was five, Mamdani moved with his family to Cape Town, South Africa. Two years later, they settled in New York City, where he eventually became a naturalised American citizen in 2018.

-Mamdani completed his schooling at the Bronx High School of Science and later earned 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.

-His political journey began with grassroots work, first as a foreclosure prevention counsellor, and then as a volunteer on local campaigns for figures like Ali Najmi, Khader El-Yateem, Ross Barkan, and Tiffany Caban. In 2017, he joined the Democratic Socialists of America.

-Mamdani was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020 after winning the Democratic primary. He has represented Queens’ 36th District since 2021 and was re-elected unopposed in both 2022 and 2024.

-As an active member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he currently serves on several key committees. To date, he has sponsored 20 bills, three of which have been signed into law.

-He officially entered the 2025 New York City mayoral race on October 23, 2024, shortly after federal investigations were launched into the administration of Mayor Eric Adams.

-Outside politics, Mamdani has a creative side too. In 2019, he released a single called “Nani” under the stage name Mr Cardamom. The music video featured none other than Madhur Jaffrey, the famed cookbook author and actress.

-He is a practising Shia Muslim and recently married Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-born illustrator whose work has appeared in major outlets like The New Yorker and The Washington Post. The couple lives in Astoria, Queens.

About Zohran Mamdani’s bid for the NY mayoral polls

Inspired by democratic socialist leader Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani is campaigning on a bold progressive agenda.

His platform includes ambitious goals: freezing rents, making buses and childcare free, launching a Department of Community Safety, introducing city-run grocery stores in areas with poor food access, and raising the minimum wage to $30 by 2030.

On international issues, particularly Israel-Palestine, he has been vocal in supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. He also opposes illegal settlements, calls for ceasefires in Gaza, and stresses the importance of rejecting antisemitism while recognising Israel’s right to exist.

At home, he’s pushed for stronger anti-discrimination laws and spoken out against cuts to gender-affirming healthcare.

His campaign has quickly gained traction. In its first fundraising cycle, it outpaced all other candidates, signalling strong grassroots support.

Mamdani is also drawing on his South Asian heritage to connect with voters. He recently released a campaign video in Hindi, packed with references to iconic Bollywood films and dialogues.

Polling shows that while Andrew Cuomo is currently ahead in first-choice votes, ranked-choice projections show Mamdani narrowing the gap considerably, coming within two points of the former governor in the first round of New York City’s ranked-choice voting system.

His campaign has already mobilised over 20,000 volunteers, canvassing across the city. Endorsements are rolling in too—from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to the Working Families Party and United Auto Workers’ Shawn Fain.

In a recent debate, Mamdani didn’t hold back. He accused Cuomo of corruption and introduced himself as “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare”, a “progressive, Muslim immigrant” who isn’t afraid to fight for what he believes in.

New York City’s Democratic primary is set for June 24, 2025. The election will use a ranked-choice voting system, allowing voters to rank up to five candidates in order of preference.

With input from agencies