When Zohran Mamdani, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair, won the Democratic primary in the race to become New York City's next mayor, one of his old posts resurfaced online. In a 2020 post on X (then Twitter), Mamdani referred to Arya Rajendran, a young Indian politician from Kerala, as the kind of leader New York might need.
But who is Arya Rajendran? And why did Mamdani choose to spotlight her?
Back in December 2020, Zohran Mamdani shared a post originally published by CPI(M) Puducherry, highlighting Arya Rajendran's historic election as Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram at just 21.
The post read, "Comrade Arya Rajendran, age 21 new Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram , Kerala. She will be the youngest mayor of a major city in the world."
Mamdani amplified the message, writing, "So what kind of mayor does NYC need right now?" - suggesting a bold, youthful and ideologically committed leader like Rajendran could be the answer.
As Zohran Mamdani prepares for the final leg of the mayoral race in November, his old post is gaining renewed attention.
Who is Arya Rajendran?
Born in 1999, Arya Rajendran made headlines in 2020 when she became the mayor of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. In doing so, set a national record as India's youngest mayor. She overtook the previous record held by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who headed Nagpur's civic body at the age of 27.
Representing the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Rajendran was elected from the Mudavanmugal ward in the 2020 Kerala local body elections. She is a graduate in mathematics.
Her early entry into politics was marked by joining Balasangham, the children's wing of the CPI(M), when she was in fifth standard. She would go on to lead the organisation as its state president. She also served in the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and became a CPI(M) area committee member in Chala, Thiruvananthapuram.
In 2023, Rajendran captured national attention when a photograph of her working in her office with her one-month-old baby went viral.
She is married to Sachin Dev, also a CPI(M) leader, and the youngest member of Kerala's current Legislative Assembly. In 2024, she was inducted into the CPI(M)'s Thiruvananthapuram District Committee.
As mayor, Rajendran prioritised waste management and healthcare. She also launched scientific disposal drives and pushed for 24/7 health centres for the marginalised.
