Nithya Raman Advances to Los Angeles Mayoral Runoff, Could Become First Indian-American Mayor

The result was declared nearly a week after voting concluded, as California's extended ballot-counting process continued. With Pratt eliminated from contention, Raman now stands on the verge of making history. If she wins the November election, she will become the first Indian-American mayor of Los Angeles.

Born into a Tamil family in Kerala, Raman moved to Louisiana in the United States at the age of six. She later became a naturalised American citizen at the age of 22. Her academic journey took her through two of the most prestigious universities in the United States before she entered public service and urban policy work.

Raman completed her bachelor's degree in Political Theory through the Social Studies programme at Harvard University. The interdisciplinary programme combines political science, history, economics and philosophy, disciplines that later influenced her approach to public policy and urban governance.

Following her studies at Harvard, Raman earned a master's degree in Urban Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her academic focus on cities, housing and urban development became a defining feature of her professional career.

After spending several years in the United States, Raman returned to India and founded Transparent Chennai, a research initiative dedicated to improving sanitation and urban governance in Chennai. The organisation worked on civic issues and local government research, providing Raman with direct experience in city-level policymaking and public administration.

Raman relocated to Los Angeles in 2013 and worked for the city's administrative officer. In 2017, she founded the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, a nonprofit organisation focused on homelessness outreach across Los Angeles. She later served as executive director of Time's Up Entertainment.

Her work on housing, homelessness and urban policy significantly raised her profile in city politics and helped pave the way for her election to the Los Angeles City Council.

Raman entered the mayoral race shortly before the filing deadline and campaigned on expanding affordable housing, reducing homelessness and bringing jobs back to Hollywood. As no candidate secured more than 50 per cent of the vote, Los Angeles will now hold a runoff election in November between Raman and Karen Bass.

For many voters becoming familiar with the Indian-origin candidate, Raman's journey from Harvard University and MIT to urban policy leadership and elected office in Los Angeles has emerged as a defining element of her campaign. As she prepares for the most significant election of her political career, the upcoming runoff could mark a historic moment in the city's political history.