As New Yorkers cast their votes in one of the city’s most closely watched mayoral elections, Democrat Zohran Mamdani’s story stands out, not just for his politics, but for the global family that shaped his views and values.
Born in 1991 in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani grew up surrounded by ideas, art, and activism. He is the son of two celebrated figures, filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani, whose lives have spanned three continents. The family’s journey from Africa to India and then to New York has deeply influenced Zohran’s international outlook and progressive politics.
After spending his early childhood in Uganda and South Africa, Mamdani moved with his parents to New York City in 1999 when his father joined Columbia University’s faculty. They settled on the Upper West Side, where Zohran later became a US citizen in 2018.
Mira Nair, his mother, is one of India’s most acclaimed filmmakers. Her debut feature Salaam Bombay! won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes and was nominated for an Oscar. Over the years, Nair’s films like Mississippi Masala, Monsoon Wedding, and The Namesake have explored themes of identity, migration, and belonging.
His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a globally respected scholar on colonialism and African politics. Born in Mumbai and raised in Kampala, he was expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin in 1972, later earning a Ph.D. from Harvard. Today, he teaches at Columbia and is known for his influential book Citizen and Subject. Mahmood’s outspoken criticism of Israel’s policies and his defense of academic freedom have made him a controversial voice, views that have also shaped Zohran’s politics.
Mamdani’s wife, Rama Sawaf Duwaji, is a Syrian-born illustrator based in Brooklyn, and has worked with major outlets like The New Yorker and BBC. The couple met on a dating app and married in early 2025 at New York City Hall.
According to Forbes, Mamdani’s estimated net worth in 2025 is between $200,000 and $300,000, with most assets tied to family property in Uganda and his New York State Assembly salary of around $142,000 a year.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
