Who is Zohran Mamdani? First muslim NYC mayor of Indian descent

Zohran Mamdani is an American politician, rapper, and member of the New York State Assembly for the 36th District. He made history as the first Muslim and African-born person of Indian descent to be elected Mayor of New York City. He has actively spoken about the rights of immigrants and against the higher living costs in the country. 

Early Life and Education 

• Zohran Kwame Mamdani was born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda, to popular filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani. Both of his parents are of Indian descent; his mother is a Punjabi Hindu, while his father is a Gujarati Muslim. His ancestors left India 200 years ago, and his paternal grandparents were born in Tanzania. Mamdani grew up in Kampala and lived there till the age of five. 
• His family moved to Cape Town, South Africa, where he attended St. George's Grammar School in Mowbray. Zohran Mamdani's family immigrated to the United States when he was seven years old. They lived in Morningside Heights, New York. He went to Bank Street School for Children on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He was a studious child who took part in the school election and co-founded a sports team. He attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine (USA) and completed a bachelor's degree with a major in Africana studies (2014). 

Political career 

Zohran Mamdani became a US citizen in 2018. He joined the Democratic Socialist (Member of the Democratic Socialists of America) because his political beliefs aligned with theirs, which include reducing high living costs. In 2020, Mamdani was elected to the New York State Assembly from the 36th district. In October 2024, Mamdani revealed that he would be contesting in the mayoral election in NYC. On 5th November 2025, he was elected as the Mayor of New York City by defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo. He won the 50.4% mandate while his competitors, Andrew Cuomo, got 41.5% and Curtis Silwa was too far to even be considered, with only 7.1% 

Victory speech after the NYC mayoral election 

• Donald Trump and Elon Musk had been aggressively mocking and demeaning Zohran Mamdani on various occasions, either by using a mispelled name or threatening to restrict funds if he emerged as the winner in the Mayoral election of New York. In an interview, Donald trump said, “It will be hard to give money if communist Mamdani is mayor. 
• In the victory speech, Mamdani mentioned Donald Trump and replied to all the remarks with “So hear me, President Trump — since I know you’re watching — I have four words for you: turn the volume up.” He also said, “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant. So hear me, President Trump, when I say this: to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.”To which Trump said It's a 'Bad Start.” 
• Donald Trump has constantly referred to Zohran Mamdani as a communist and a Lunatic He once said, “As President of the United States, I’m not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York. Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards. I’ll save New York City…” but that doesn’t seem to happen as Zohran Mamdani has become the Mayor of New York.

Read more from the author: Elon Musk endorses Andrew Cuomo for NYC mayor election, taunts Mamdani

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