Members of the Indian-American diaspora have hailed the victory of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, describing his win as historic and a sign that immigrant stories are now shaping the narrative in the US. “Last night felt like the dawn of a new era. With Zohran Mamdani’s historic win, in the same moment New York welcomes its first Indian-origin mayor, we are witnessing a shift in how this city understands identity, belonging, and power,” Founder and CEO of NYC-based educational and cultural organisation The Culture Tree Anu Sehgal told PTI on Wednesday.
She said Mamdani’s victory speech reflected a pro-immigrant conviction that New York is built by those who arrive, strive, and rise. “It was filled with cultural Easter eggs only our community would recognise… From quoting Nehru to closing to the beat of Dhoom,” Sehgal said. Acknowledging that challenges lie ahead, Sehgal said what is undeniable is that “South Asian and immigrant stories are no longer just part of the narrative, they are shaping it”.