Nithya Raman Makes History as First Indian American Elected Mayor of Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES–Kerala-born Nithya Raman has won the Los Angeles mayoral election, becoming the first Indian American and first South Asian elected to lead the nation’s second-largest city after incumbent Mayor Karen Bass conceded defeat.

Raman, an urban planner and Los Angeles City Council member, secured a historic victory in Tuesday’s election, marking another milestone in her political career since first winning a City Council seat in 2020.

“Los Angeles, I am deeply honored to be your next mayor,” Raman wrote on X Thursday, acknowledging her victory.

According to the latest Los Angeles County election results released Thursday afternoon, Raman received 460,772 votes, representing 52.70% of the total, compared with 413,519 votes, or 47.30%, for Bass.

Raman’s lead expanded to 47,253 votes from 34,654 earlier in the day. Although election officials were still processing ballots and the results remained unofficial, Bass conceded the race and congratulated her successor.

“I’ve called Councilmember Raman to congratulate her, and I’m committed to a smooth transition,” Bass wrote on X.

Bass also thanked her supporters and pledged to continue serving Los Angeles during the transition. Raman said she had spoken with the outgoing mayor and expressed appreciation for her leadership and decades of public service.

Raman’s election represents a significant milestone for Indian Americans in U.S. politics, placing a woman born in India at the helm of one of America’s largest and most influential cities.

Her victory also drew congratulations from elected officials across Los Angeles, who emphasized the challenges awaiting the incoming administration.

Los Angeles City Council member Adrin Nazarian congratulated Raman and highlighted their shared experiences as immigrants who built their lives in the United States.

Nazarian described Raman’s political journey from representing Council District 4 to winning the mayor’s office as an example of the American dream.

He expressed interest in working with the incoming mayor on several major challenges, including rising living costs, economic pressures on middle-class families, public transportation and efforts to retain jobs in the city’s entertainment industry.

Nazarian also praised Bass for her decades of public service as a California state legislator, member of Congress and Los Angeles’ first Black woman mayor.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman also congratulated Raman and thanked Bass for her leadership, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between city and county authorities on public safety.

“Public safety is a shared responsibility, and I look forward to working with the new mayor and her team to keep every Angeleno safe,” Hochman said in a statement.

Hochman said his office would continue evaluating criminal cases based on the facts, applicable laws and available evidence while working with the incoming administration to address public safety concerns.

Throughout her campaign, Raman emphasized housing affordability, homelessness and improvements to municipal services as central priorities.

According to LAist, her proposals included improving the city’s response to pothole repairs and broken streetlights, along with changes to policing and public safety policies.

Raman’s background in urban planning and homelessness advocacy has shaped much of her political agenda.

Born in Kerala, India, Raman immigrated to the United States with her family when she was six years old.

She graduated from Harvard University and later earned a master’s degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Before entering politics, Raman worked on homelessness-related issues in Los Angeles and co-founded the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, an organization focused on providing assistance to unhoused residents.

Her political career began with a successful campaign for the Los Angeles City Council in 2020, when she became the first Asian American woman and first South Asian elected to the council.

She subsequently won reelection in 2024, consolidating her political base before launching her successful campaign for mayor.

Raman now faces the challenge of addressing Los Angeles’ housing crisis, homelessness, public safety concerns and the rising cost of living as she prepares to take office.

Her election adds to the growing representation of Indian Americans in prominent political leadership positions across the United States. (Source: IANS)