Kerala CM hails Nithya Raman's victory in Los Angeles mayoral election

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Friday congratulated Kerala-born Nithya Raman on her victory in the Los Angeles mayoral election, calling her achievement an inspiration to the global Malayali community.

In a post on X, CM V D Satheesan described the victory as historic, noting that Raman would become the 44th mayor of Los Angeles and the first South Asian American to hold the office.

“A Daughter of Keralam Shines at Los Angeles City Hall,” the Chief Minister said. “Born in Keralam, Raman has made her mark in urban planning and public service far from home, and has now written her name into history. Her journey is a tremendous inspiration to the global Malayali community,” he added.

Wishing her success, VD Satheesan said, “May she serve the city and its people with distinction. Sending the love of Keralam and wishing her every success.”

Raman, 45, represents District 4 on the Los Angeles City Council. She defeated incumbent mayor Karen Bass, 73, in the November 3 election. Bass conceded defeat on Thursday.

With Raman's victory, the two largest US cities, New York and Los Angeles, will have mayors of South Asian descent. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office in January 2026.

An urban planner by training, Raman holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and a graduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

She was among several Indian-American candidates who won in the 2026 US midterm elections. The Democrats made significant gains in the polls and secured control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The Indian American Impact said Raman's victory reflected the growing political representation of South Asian Americans in California, which is home to more than one million people of South Asian origin.