Telangana CM Revanth Reddy congratulates Sandy Reddy on Strathfield Mayor win
Synopsis
Sandhya (Sandy) Reddy, a Telangana-born law graduate who moved to Australia in 1991, has been elected the 73rd Mayor of Strathfield in Sydney — making her the first woman of Indian origin to hold a mayoral office in Australia. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the Telangana Congress, and BJP MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy have all congratulated her, in a rare cross-party moment of pride for the Telugu diaspora.
Key Takeaways
Sandhya (Sandy) Reddy was elected the 73rd Mayor of Strathfield Council in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday, 29 September 2026 .
She is reportedly the first woman of Indian origin to be elected mayor of an Australian city or town.
She hails from Mellareddygudem village , Vikarabad district , Telangana, and is an alumna of Osmania University .
She moved to Australia in 1991 and served as a Strathfield councillor before becoming mayor.
She will serve a two-year mayoral term.
Bipartisan congratulations came from CM Revanth Reddy , Telangana Congress , and BJP MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy , her uncle.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday, 1 October 2026, congratulated Sandhya Reddy — also known as Sandy Reddy — on being elected the 73rd Mayor of Strathfield Council in Sydney, Australia. Reddy, a law graduate and alumna of Osmania University in Hyderabad, becomes the first woman of Indian origin to be elected mayor of an Australian city or town, according to reports.
Who Is Sandy Reddy
Born and raised in Mellareddygudem village in Vikarabad district of Telangana, Sandhya Reddy studied at Osmania University and Stanley College in Hyderabad before relocating to Australia in 1991. She had previously served as a councillor at Strathfield before her elevation to mayor. She will hold the mayoral post for two years.
What Leaders Said
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy took to social media platform X to share his congratulations, describing her as 'a proud daughter of Telangana.' He wrote: 'Hearty congratulations to Smt Sandy Reddy garu, a proud daughter of Telangana on being elected Mayor of Sydney Council in Australia. Join me in congratulating her and offering our best wishes for her success.'
The ruling Indian National Congress (INC) party's Telangana unit also posted on X: 'It is a proud moment for all of Telangana to see you elected as the Mayor of Sydney Council in Australia. Wishing you all the very best!'
Congress MP Kiran Kumar Chamala added his congratulations, calling it 'a moment of immense pride for Telangana and for the Telugu community across the world.'
Family Ties and BJP Connection
Sandhya Reddy is the daughter of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy's cousin — making her the MP's niece. Vishweshwar Reddy, the MP from Chevella, said: 'We are very thrilled that Sandhya Reddy is the first woman of Indian origin to become a mayor of an Australian city or town. And I am specially proud and my family is extremely proud because she is my niece, my cousin's daughter. She also hails from my constituency, the Chevella parliamentary constituency. She was a councillor before, Strathfield in Australia, and a very popular one at that.'
Significance for the Telugu Diaspora
The milestone carries symbolic weight for India's Telugu-speaking diaspora, which has a significant presence in New South Wales. Strathfield is a culturally diverse inner-western suburb of Sydney with a notable South Asian community. Sandy Reddy's election — coming after years as a local councillor — reflects the growing political participation of Indian-origin professionals in Australian civic life.
With bipartisan congratulations pouring in from across Telangana's political spectrum, the development is seen as a rare moment of unity in an otherwise fractious state political landscape. Her two-year tenure as mayor begins immediately.
Point of View
However warm, also reflect how diaspora achievements have become political currency back home. Notably, the same achievement is being claimed simultaneously by the ruling Congress and the BJP, whose Chevella MP is her uncle — a reminder that diasporic success belongs to no single party. For the Telugu community in New South Wales, the more durable significance lies in what her election signals about second-generation South Asian civic participation in Australian local governance.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sandy Reddy, the new Mayor of Strathfield?
Sandy Reddy, formally Sandhya Reddy, is a Telangana-born law graduate who moved to Australia in 1991. She was elected the 73rd Mayor of Strathfield Council in Sydney and is reportedly the first woman of Indian origin to become mayor of an Australian city or town.
Where is Sandhya Reddy originally from in India?
She hails from Mellareddygudem village in Vikarabad district, Telangana. She studied at Osmania University and Stanley College in Hyderabad before emigrating to Australia in 1991.
How long will Sandy Reddy serve as Mayor of Strathfield?
Sandy Reddy will hold the post of Mayor of Strathfield Council for two years, having been elected on Tuesday, 29 September 2026.
Why is Sandy Reddy's election significant for India?
She is reportedly the first woman of Indian origin to be elected mayor of an Australian city or town, making it a historic moment for the Telugu diaspora and the broader Indian community in Australia. Leaders across party lines in Telangana have hailed the achievement.
What is Sandy Reddy's connection to BJP MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy?
Sandy Reddy is the daughter of BJP MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy's cousin, making her his niece. Vishweshwar Reddy, who represents the Chevella parliamentary constituency — the same region she hails from — said his family is 'extremely proud' of her achievement.
