Who is Nithya Raman? Meet Kerala-born LA's first Indian-American mayor

Dubai: From growing up in Thrissur, Kerala, to studying at Harvard and MIT and entering American politics, Nithya Raman's journey to becoming Los Angeles' first Indian-American mayor-elect has been shaped by education, urban planning and community activism.

Raman, whose election victory over incumbent Karen Bass has made international headlines, is set to take charge of America's second-largest city after a political journey that began at the grassroots level.

Born in Thrissur in 1981, Raman moved to the United States with her family at age six. She grew up in Massachusetts and developed an interest in social issues, eventually pursuing social studies at Harvard University, where she graduated in 2003.

Her professional journey also took her back to India. After graduating, she worked with grassroots organisations supporting disadvantaged communities, including people facing eviction in Delhi.

She later moved to Chennai, where she established Transparent Chennai in 2010. The initiative used research, mapping, and public data to highlight gaps in civic infrastructure and basic services in underserved neighbourhoods.

Raman later earned a master's degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2008. Her academic background and community development experience later shaped her approach to public service.

After moving to Los Angeles in 2013, Raman became increasingly involved in addressing the city's homelessness crisis.

In 2017, she co-founded the SELAH Neighbourhood Homeless Coalition, a community-based organisation that works with people experiencing homelessness and advocates for better support services.

Her community-level work eventually led her into electoral politics. In 2020, Raman won a seat on the Los Angeles City Council, representing District 4. She became the first Asian-American woman and the first South Asian elected to the council. She was re-elected in 2024.

As a council member, she focused on housing affordability, homelessness, neighbourhood improvements and public services. Her experience as an urban planner also informed her work on infrastructure and city development.

Raman's mayoral campaign placed housing, homelessness and municipal services at the centre of her agenda. Her proposals included improving street lighting, repairing roads, strengthening neighbourhood services and reforming aspects of policing.

Her victory over Bass marks another milestone in her political career, taking her from city council member to the leadership of one of America's most prominent cities.

Raman has described her election as an honour and acknowledged the responsibility of leading Los Angeles. She also spoke with Bass following the outgoing mayor's concession, expressing appreciation for her public service.

Raman lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Vali Chandrasekaran, and their twin children.

Her journey from Kerala to the mayor's office in Los Angeles is a notable milestone for the Indian-American community, and her background in urban planning and grassroots activism will shape the next chapter of her public life.