In a historic night for Indian-origin and South Asian Americans in US politics, three prominent leaders — Zohran Mamdani, Aftab Pureval, and Ghazala Hashmi — scored major victories in the 2025 elections, marking a milestone moment for representation and diversity across the country.

Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old Democratic Socialist lawmaker, won the fiercely contested New York City mayoral race, becoming the first South Asian and Muslim to lead America’s largest city.

Mamdani, the Ugandan-born son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani, defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. With 83 per cent of votes counted, Mamdani secured 948,202 votes (50.6%), while Cuomo received 776,547 (41.3%) and Sliwa 137,030.

Mamdani’s campaign focused on lowering the cost of living and uplifting working-class New Yorkers, resonating with young and economically burdened voters. His victory marks a significant ideological shift for a city often viewed as the heart of American capitalism.