Tharoor hails Indian-origin mayors of LA and New York
Synopsis
Congress MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor celebrated Nithya Raman becoming Mayor of Los Angeles and Zohran Mamdani becoming Mayor of New York City, calling it a landmark moment for people of Indian origin — and paired the praise with an implicit critique of governance back home.
Key Takeaways
Nithya Raman , with family roots in Thiruvananthapuram , has become the new Mayor of Los Angeles .
Zohran Kwame Mamdani , of Indian-Ugandan origin, is set to run New York City as its mayor.
Both individuals had previously been elected to city council and state assembly respectively in 2020 .
Tharoor framed the moment as proof that people of Indian origin can simultaneously run America's two biggest cities.
The post ends with an unfinished sentence implying a pointed contrast with elected officials in India.
The development marks a new high point in the decades-long rise of South Asian representation in American civic office.
Two of America's largest cities are set to be governed by people of Indian origin — and Congress MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor wants the world to notice. On Thursday, 5 November 2026, the Thiruvananthapuram MP posted a pointed message celebrating the milestone while taking a sharp swipe at elected officials back home.
Tharoor flagged that Nithya Raman, whom he describes as 'a daughter of Thiruvananthapuram,' has become the new Mayor of Los Angeles — the largest city in California and the second-largest in the United States. At the same time, he noted, Zohran Kwame Mamdani is set to run New York City, making the two biggest American cities simultaneously led by people of Indian origin.
Nithya Raman's Kerala roots and her road to LA
Raman has Kerala heritage, with family ties to Thiruvananthapuram — a connection Tharoor, the city's sitting MP, was quick to claim with evident pride. She previously served on the Los Angeles City Council, representing District 4, after being elected in 2020. Her elevation to mayor marks a significant arc for an Indian-American woman who built her political career in one of the United States' most consequential cities.
Mamdani in New York: a Queens assemblyman's bigger stage
Mamdani, of Indian-Ugandan origin, was elected to the New York State Assembly from Queens in 2020. His ascent to the mayoralty of the country's largest city adds another striking chapter to a story of South Asian political representation that has been building steadily in American civic life since the 2010s — from city councils and state legislatures to, now, the two biggest city halls in the nation.
The sting in the tail: a jab at Indian governance
Tharoor did not leave his post as a simple congratulatory note. He wrote that he was 'sure they will do a far better job than their counterparts back in India, who are —' before the sentence trails into a linked URL whose content is not publicly visible. The implication, characteristically sharp, is unmistakable: an opposition politician drawing an unflattering comparison between Indian-origin achievers abroad and local governance at home.
Whether the remark ignites a formal political response from ruling-party leaders or is absorbed as routine social-media sparring remains to be watched. What is not in dispute is the symbolism: on the same day, the mayors of Los Angeles and New York City both trace their family lines to the Indian subcontinent — a fact that would have seemed improbable a generation ago.
Point of View
Critique at home — has become a recognisable signature of Indian opposition politicians on social media. The post's timing, as both mayoral transitions crystallise on the same day, maximises the symbolic punch.
NationPress
5 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Nithya Raman and what is her connection to India?
Nithya Raman is an Indian-American politician with family roots in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. She previously served on the Los Angeles City Council representing District 4 after being elected in 2020, and has now become Mayor of Los Angeles.
Who is Zohran Mamdani?
Zohran Kwame Mamdani is a politician of Indian-Ugandan origin who was elected to the New York State Assembly from Queens in 2020. He has become Mayor of New York City, according to Tharoor's post.
Why did Shashi Tharoor post about the Los Angeles and New York mayors?
Tharoor, who represents Thiruvananthapuram in Parliament, posted to celebrate the fact that both Los Angeles and New York City are now being run by people of Indian origin. He also used the occasion to draw an implicit contrast with elected officials in India.
What was Tharoor's criticism of Indian politicians in the same post?
Tharoor wrote that he was 'sure they will do a far better job than their counterparts back in India,' with the sentence trailing into an external link. The remark was widely read as a dig at the standard of governance by ruling-party officials in India.
Is this the first time Indian-origin politicians have held major US city offices?
No. South Asian representation in American civic life has been growing since the 2010s. However, simultaneously holding the mayoralties of both Los Angeles and New York City marks a new high point for the Indian diaspora in US politics.
