♦ Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City's mayor, beginning a four-year term. He made history as he took his oath of office on a centuries-old Quran, becoming the first mayor of the city to be sworn in on Islam’s holy book. Mamdani was also the first Muslim, the first South Asian and the first African-born individual to hold the city’s top executive position.

♦ Born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani is the son of Indian-origin parents and acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, known for films such as Salaam Bombay! and Monsoon Wedding, and Mahmood Mamdani, an Indian-born Ugandan academic.

♦ In 2019, Mamdani won a seat in the New York State Assembly from the 36th District, representing Astoria and Long Island City, where he focused on issues such as housing, transit affordability and immigrant rights, priorities that shaped his mayoral bid.