Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani was elected the mayor of New York City, after he won the crucial poll, emerging as a front-runner on Wednesday. The Indian origin Mamdani faced off against former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent candidate and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa on the ballots.
Born in Uganda, 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani gained prominence in New York due to his targeted community outreach, strong fundraising, and progressive positioning. Mamdani is the son of Indian origin parents with African roots. His mother, Mira Nair, is an Indian filmmaker. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an Indian-born Ugandan academic with roots in Gujarat.
He is a graduate of the NYC Public School System and attended the Bronx High School of Science. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College. In 2018, he attained American citizenship.
Zohran Mamdani’s Entry into Politics
Zohran Mamdani’s family moved to New York when he was seven years old. After finishing college in 2014 with a degree in Africana studies, Mamdani worked in Queens helping low-income families who were facing eviction.
In 2016, he began making hip-hop music under the name Young Cardamom. He released songs in English and Ugandan languages and even created the music for his mother’s Disney movie Queen of Katwe.
Trump called him a ‘communist lunatic’
He faced criticism over his stances on Israeli policies and personal wealth accumulation. The US president even termed him a “communist lunatic”. In a Truth Social post in June, Trump described Mamdani as a “100% Communist Lunatic”, saying him being on his way to become mayor was ridiculous.
“He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart, he’s got AOC+3, Dummies ALL, backing him, and even our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, is groveling over him,” a part of Trump’s Truth Social post read.
Who Is Mamdani?
Zohran Kwame Mamdani was born and raised in Uganda’s Kampala. Later, he moved to New York City with his family at the age of seven. He is a graduate of the NYC Public School System and attended the Bronx High School of Science. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College. In 2018, he attained American citizenship. He is also the first Ugandan and only the third Muslim to ever hold a seat in this legislative body. During his high school years, Zohran co-founded the school’s first-ever cricket team, which went on to participate in the inaugural cricket season organised by the Public School Athletic League.
