Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:Zohran Mamdani has taken the oath of office as the new mayor of New York City in a historic midnight ceremony held at a decommissioned subway station in Manhattan, becoming the first Muslim to lead America’s largest city.
On January 1 Mamdani placed his hand on a Quran as he was sworn in, marking a first in the city’s political history.
“This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said moments after taking the oath. The 34-year-old Democrat was sworn in by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a close political ally, at the old City Hall subway station, one of the original stops on the city’s earliest underground line. Among the dignitaries, Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, was present.
Following the ceremonies, Mamdani and his wife will move from their one-bedroom, rent-stabilised apartment in an outer borough to the official mayoral residence in Manhattan. He now begins what is widely regarded as one of the most demanding roles in American politics, stepping into office as one of the most closely watched political figures in the country.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1991, Mamdani is the son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar-activist Mahmood Mamdani. His personal journey reflects the convergence of multiple diasporas. Along with being New York City’s first Muslim Mayor, he is also the first mayor of South Asian origin, the first to be born in Africa, and, at 34, the youngest person to hold the office in generations.
Mamdani’s family moved to New York City when he was seven years old, and he grew up in the city in the years following the September 11 attacks, a period during which many Muslims felt unwelcome. He became an American citizen in 2018. Running a campaign that helped push “affordability” to the forefront of the political debate, the democratic socialist pledged to deliver sweeping changes aimed at easing the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities.
