Who is Zohran Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor of New York City? Learn how his wife, Rama, ran his campaign behind the scenes

During his college days, he co-founded the local chapter of the organization Students for Justice in Palestine. He later worked as a foreclosure prevention counselor and gradually became politically active. In 2017, Zohran Mamdani made his mark in New York politics by joining the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

New York: Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani has made history by winning the New York City mayoral election. He won despite Donald Trump's threat that New York would not receive funding if Mamdani won. 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani's rise to mayor of New York City wasn't easy. He consistently held a lead over his rivals and faced opposition from Trump and Elon Musk. Zohran

Mamdani, who describes himself as a "Democratic Socialist" and has roots in India and Africa, was pitted against independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Mamdani's journey has been quite interesting. His father is a professor, while his mother is a renowned Indian filmmaker.

Who is Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York?
Zohran Kwame Mamdani was born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a renowned scholar of African politics and history, while his mother, Mira Nair, is the director of such popular films as "Monsoon Wedding" and "The Namesake." During his childhood, Mamdani's family moved from Uganda to South Africa and then to New York. He attended Bank Street School for Children and the Bronx High School of Science, and graduated in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College in 2014. Notably, Mamdani speaks Hindi fluently, and to win over Indian voters, he ran his campaign in Hindi.

During his college days, he co-founded the local chapter of the organization Students for Justice in Palestine. He later worked as a foreclosure prevention counselor and gradually became politically active. In 2017, Zohran Mamdani made his mark in New York politics by joining the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). In 2020, he won the Democratic primary for the 36th District in Queens and entered the State Assembly. He was re-elected unopposed in 2022 and 2024. To date, he has introduced 20 bills, three of which have become law.

Wife Rama ran the campaign behind the scenes
Zohran Mamdani's wife, Rama Duvaji, played a significant role in his campaign. While she may have been less visible in public, her presence behind the scenes has been impressive. Rama Duvaji, 28, is an artist by profession and designed the campaign's visual identity, which includes a mix of MetroCard Yellow, Mets Blue, and Firehouse Red colors and bold, bodega-style typography. She also worked extensively on the social media language and branding.

Born in Texas and raised in Dubai, Qatar, Duwaji holds a Masters from the School of Visual Arts, New York. The couple met on the dating app Hinge in 2021, got engaged in 2024, and married the same year. However, their engagement, which took place during a lavish ceremony in Dubai, drew some criticism on social media, as Zohran describes himself as a socialist. Nevertheless, Rama Duwaji took this criticism in stride and kept her husband's election campaign full of creative energy and emotional support.

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