 "Zohran Mamdani is in the race to be next NYC mayor. His India connection, explained")
You may have come across the black suit-clad Zohran Mamdani while scrolling through Instagram Reels or TikTok.
The democratic socialist was not a well-known name when the 2025 New York mayoral race started. But he soon gained ground and moved ahead of his more experienced rival, former governor Andrew Cuomo.
Mamdani has now claimed victory in the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City after Cuomo conceded defeat.
The 33-year-old received 43.5 per cent of the vote, while Cuomo managed 36.4 per cent, as per the latest figures.
What stands out is that this young Muslim immigrant also has a surprising link to India.
Here’s a look at that connection and how he fared in the polls:
Zohran Mamdani’s India connection explained
The progressive assemblyman from Queens has a strong connection to India through his mother, Mira Nair, a well-known Indian-American filmmaker famous for titles such as Salaam Bombay!, Monsoon Wedding, and The Namesake.
His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an academic and writer.
The family first moved to Cape Town before eventually settling in New York City when Zohran was seven.
Nair also directed Mississippi Masala, a cross-cultural love story featuring Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury. The 1991 film explored the expulsion of Indians from Uganda during Idi Amin’s rule.
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View AllIt was while scouting locations for this film that Nair met Mahmood Mamdani, who was among those forced to leave Uganda. The two later married and moved frequently due to his work, before making New York City their home.
Nair is also the director of ‘Queen of Katwe’, a 2016 hit. Zohran helped in the film’s casting and direction.
What are Zohran Mamdani’s plans for the city?
Mamdani’s grassroots run has caught the attention of many across New York City.
His mayoral campaign stood out for its bold ideas, including promises of free child care, rent freezes for those in rent-regulated homes, free bus services, more affordable housing, and higher taxes for the wealthy. All of it was delivered through well-produced videos that flooded social media.
Backed by a large group of young volunteers, Mamdani’s team canvassed neighbourhoods across the city, knocking on doors and asking for support. His smiling face could be seen on posters stuck to shop windows in different parts of town.
On social media, his campaign videos were nearly impossible to miss.
Mamdani also made headlines for a strong stand against Israel’s offensive in Gaza. He promised to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited New York City.
This came after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant accusing Netanyahu of war crimes linked to Israel’s campaign in Gaza, including the use of starvation as a weapon.
If elected, Mamdani would be New York’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor. He became a naturalised citizen a few years after finishing college, where he co-founded the school’s first Students for Justice in Palestine chapter.
He was elected to the state Assembly in 2020, representing a part of Queens. One of his key achievements in office was a pilot scheme that offered free rides on a few city buses for one year.
NYC mayoral polls & Zohran Mamdani
With his win now almost certain, Zohran Mamdani addressed his supporters, saying, “I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City.”
“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,” he said.
“I will work to be a mayor you will be proud to call your own.”
Andrew Cuomo, once seen as the favourite in what was meant to be his political comeback after a sexual harassment scandal, admitted defeat. He told his supporters he had called Mamdani to offer congratulations.
“Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won,” Cuomo told the crowd.
Not long after the result, Mamdani posted on X, quoting Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done. My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it. I am honoured to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City.”
The New York City mayoral election is scheduled for November 2025. As the Democratic nominee, Mamdani will take on current mayor Eric Adams and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
With inputs from agencies
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