Indian-origin Mayors lead New York, Los Angeles

Indian-origin leaders are expanding their presence in American local government, with Nithya Raman set to become Los Angeles Mayor alongside New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Several other Indian Americans also lead US cities, highlighting growing diaspora representation in politics

Washington: Americans of Indian origin are set to lead the United States’ two largest cities when Nithya Raman takes office as Los Angeles Mayor next month, joining New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a milestone for the diaspora’s presence in American local government. Together, the cities have about 12.5 million residents — 8.6 million in New York and 3.9 million in Los Angeles.

Mamdani took office on January 1. Raman remains mayor-elect, with her term scheduled to begin on December 14. Karen Bass continues to serve as Los Angeles Mayor until the transition.

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Raman was born in Kerala and moved to the United States at age 6. Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani. He is of Indian origin, rather than India-born. A compilation of mayoral records and biographies shows that the community’s representation extends beyond the two coastal cities, encompassing state capitals, industrial cities and suburban townships.

In Cincinnati, Ohio, Aftab Pureval is serving his second term. First elected in 2021, he became the city’s first Asian American mayor. His current term runs into January 2030. Richmond, Virginia, is led by Hyderabad-born Danny Avula, who immigrated with his parents in 1979. A paediatrician and former public-health official, he took office as the state capital’s 81st mayor on January 1, 2025. In California’s Bay Area, Raj Salwan became Fremont’s first Indian American elected mayor in December 2024. New Jersey has several Indian-origin mayors, including Samip Joshi in Edison, Pulkit Desai in Parsippany-Troy Hills, Hemant Marathe in West Windsor and Neena Singh in Montgomery. Their backgrounds span different professions and forms of public service.

Desai, born in India and raised in the United States, served in the US Marine Corps. Singh began her third term as Montgomery mayor in January. Other Indian American mayors are Swarnjit Singh in Norwich, Connecticut, and Sangeetha Rayapati in Moline, Illinois. In Texas, Mihir ‘Mark’ Pankaj serves as mayor of Paris, while Saji P George leads Sunnyvale, the Dallas County town distinct from its California namesake.

Some of the former Indian American mayors are Arun Jhaveri in Burien, Washington, Upendra Chivukula in Franklin Township, New Jersey, and Satish Hiremath in Oro Valley, Arizona. Women also established an earlier presence in smaller municipalities. Kerala-born Vini Samuel was elected mayor of Montesano, Washington, in 2015 and served through 2023.