An Indian-American born in the state of Kerala, India, Nithya Raman has made history by being elected as the first Indian and South Asian to become the mayor of the city of Los Angeles, USA. On 7th November 2026, the incumbent Mayor Karen Bass conceded defeat. 45-year-old Raman defeated Bass with a good margin. Bass was the first Black woman mayor of Los Angeles. 

Nithya Raman is a democratic socialist and will helm the second-largest USA city as it takes on the 2028 Olympics. Nithya said, “I’m deeply honoured to be your next mayor. I love this city. I believe in its people. The work ahead will be hard, and change will take time. And together, we are going to build a future as extraordinary as the city we call home." 

Nithya Raman migrated to the USA at the age of six. She is an urban planner who focused on working on homelessness and housing shortages. Her campaign slogan was “pothole politics", citing broken streetlights and jagged pavements that won the votes of older residents. Los Angeles youth voted for her just like in the rest of the the USA on issues of inflation and affordability.

Nithya Raman represents the 4th District and has served on the Los Angeles City Council since 14th December 2020. She was re-elected in March 2024. Her decision to run for Mayor was last-minute. Announcing her bid for elections, Nithya Raman had said, “This city’s government has made solving problems look impossible for so long. Hopelessness can be fatal for a city, but this campaign refused to accept that” end quote. 

Nithya Raman’s victory in the USA is considered a rise of left-wing leaders over the last few years. Another Indian-origin mayor, though not born in India, is Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City