Meet Zohran Mamdani, in race to become New York's 1st Muslim Mayor
Zohran Mamdani will be first Muslim and Indian-American Mayor of New York City if elected in the November 2025 election
Zohran Mamdani will be first Muslim and Indian-American Mayor of New York City if elected in the November 2025 election.
33-year-old Zohran has won the New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Democratic socialist Zohran, who ran on a progressive pitch – promising free buses, rent freeze, higher taxes on the rich, defeated Cuomo with 43.5% votes.
Zohran will go on to face incumbent Eric Adams, a Democrat who decided to run as an independent amid a public uproar over his indictment on corruption charges and the subsequent abandonment of the case by Trump's Justice Department.
Republican Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, will be on the ballot in the fall’s general election.
More about Zohran Mamdani
Zohran Mamdani, who goes by his full name Zohran Kwame Mamdani, is the son of Mahmood Mamdani, an Indian-Ugandan of Gujarat origin and postcolonial studies professor at Columbia University.
Zohran's mother is National Award and Padma Bhushan-winning Indian filmmaker Mira Nair of Punjab descent.
A member of the Democratic Party, Zohran has served as a member of the New York State Assembly from the 36th district, based in Queens, since 2021.
Zohran, a graduate from Bowdoin College and ex-rapper, was born in Uganda. He migrated to the United States as a child and became American citizen in 2018.
At Bowdoin College from where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Africana studies in 2014, Zohran co-founded the school's chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.
Zohran worked as a housing advocate and rap music producer in New York City before entering politics.
Bollywood touch in Zohran's campaign
Zohran was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020 after defeating a four-term incumbent and has since been re-elected without opposition.
Zohran has been innovative in New York City Mayor election campaign.
Watch Video
Zohran Mamdani will probably become the new mayor of New York City
— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) June 25, 2025
This was his campaign video especially made for the people from indian subcontinent. Look at the creativity and boldness 👌
pic.twitter.com/tmhAKuQ1gd
Mamdani is a member of the DSA's eight-member "Socialists in Office" bloc and the Muslim Democratic Club of New York. His Assembly district includes a section of Astoria, which has a significant population of Muslim and Arab voters.
Zohran is known for his socialist approach, and has also been seen as a strong critic of right wing politics.
Zohran Mamdani also condemned the recent American airstrikes on Iran's nuclear sites, and a staunch opponent of U.S. funding and arming of Israel. In October 2023, he was arrested for participating in a pro-Palestine protest calling for ceasefire in Gaza.
Mamdani introduced a bill titled "Not on our dime!: Ending New York Funding of Israeli Settler Violence Act" in early 2023. The bill aimed to prohibit registered charities from donating to organizations that support illegal Israeli settlers.
In a video which is viral on social media after his victory in New York City Mayor Election Primary, Zohran, while talking about 2002 Gujarat riots, likened Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Benjamin Netanyahu.
Watch Video
Zohran Mamdani's view on Narendra Modi
— 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒚𝒂🛡 (@catale7a) June 25, 2025
[New York City Mayoral Democratic Nominee] pic.twitter.com/Laa5VSwxJQ
Zohran Mamdani was asked in 2002 by New York Magazine, along with other NYC kids, about what they wanted for the Winter Holidays. To this Zohran, aged 11, answered with a request for books + FIFA 2003 and SimCity 3000 computer games.
Interestingly, Zohran won despite the vicious campaign run against him by right wing Hindutva supporters and Zionist lobbies who called him anti-Jew, anti-Hindu, anti-Christian, rabid Muslim for his pro-Palestine, anti-right wing and anti-capitalism policies.
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