New York (Web Desk): As the clock struck midnight and 2025 came to an end, Zohran Mamdani officially stepped into office as New York City’s mayor, marking a historic first as both the city’s first Muslim and first South Asian leader.
He took his oath on the Holy Quran in a quiet, symbolic ceremony held in the earliest moments of Thursday.
The swearing-in took place at the disused Old City Hall subway station, one of New York’s original underground stations that opened in 1904 and was shut down in 1945.
New York Attorney General Letitia James administered the oath in the presence of Mamdani’s family, ahead of a larger public celebration later in the day that was to be led by Senator Bernie Sanders.
Mamdani is the son of respected Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani and internationally acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, whose notable works include Mississippi Masala and Monsoon Wedding. He is also fluent in Urdu, reflecting his strong cultural roots.
Reports in the US media highlighted the significance of the Qurans used during the ceremony. One copy belonged to Mamdani’s grandfather, while another, once owned by prominent Black writer and historian Arturo Schomburg, was loaned by the New York Public Library.
Born in Uganda, the 34-year-old rose rapidly in New York politics through a blend of personal warmth, strong digital outreach and a sharp focus on the rising cost of living. Now the youngest mayor in the city’s history, he takes charge of an administration overseeing a massive $116 billion budget under global scrutiny.
Mamdani secured his victory in the November 4 mayoral election, defeating former New York governor Andrew Cuomo as well as Republican challenger Curtis Sliwa, in what was seen as a breakthrough moment for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
A self-described democratic socialist, he built his campaign around economic relief and expanded public services.
His agenda includes free public buses, universal childcare, city-operated grocery stores, a major expansion of rent-stabilized housing, and a plan to lift the minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2030.