Zohran Mamdani Becomes NYC’s First South Asian Muslim Mayor

Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old Indian-origin democratic socialist, has made history by becoming the first South Asian and Muslim to be elected as the Mayor of New York City.

He defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, by winning 948,202 votes (50.6%), while Cuomo received 776,547 votes (41.3%), and Sliwa got 137,030 votes.

“In this moment of political darkness, New York will be the light,” Mamdani said in his victory speech, where he outlined his policies and challenged President Trump.

Zohran Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian-origin parents, filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani. His mother is known for films like Salaam Bombay! and Monsoon Wedding, while his father is a professor at Columbia University.

Before becoming Mayor, Mamdani served as a New York State Assembly Member for Astoria and Long Island City. He was the first South Asian man, elected in 2020, the first Ugandan-born, and the third Muslim to hold that position.

His political journey began in college, where he co-founded Students for Justice in Palestine and worked on several grassroots campaigns focused on equity and inclusion.

As Mayor, he plans to tackle New York’s cost-of-living crisis through progressive reforms such as rent freezes, fare-free public transport, and universal childcare, promising a new era of affordability and inclusion for the city.