Kerala-born Nithya Raman elected Los Angeles mayor
The 45-year-old defeated incumbent Karen Bass to become the first mayor of South Asian descent in the city.
Nithya Raman has been elected as the Mayor of Los Angeles, defeating incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, according to reports by The Hindu and Mathrubhumi. Raman secured 405,193 votes, representing 51.67 per cent of the total, while Bass received 379,069 votes, or 48.33 per cent, as per figures from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder.
The 45-year-old Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is the first mayor of South Asian descent in the city. Her campaign focused on addressing civic challenges such as affordable housing, public safety, homelessness, and the city's response to the 2025 Palisades Fire.
Born in 1981 in Thrissur, Kerala, Raman moved to the United States at age six. She graduated in Social Studies from Harvard University in 2003 and later earned a master’s degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Before entering politics, Raman worked with NGOs in India, including leading movements against slum evictions in Delhi and founding the nonprofit Transparent Chennai in 2010 to improve sanitation. After returning to the U.S. in 2013, she worked in the city administrative office and founded the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition in 2017.
Raman has served on the Los Angeles City Council since 2020, having previously unseated incumbent David Ryu. At an election night gathering at the Greek Theatre plaza on Tuesday, she expressed optimism but asked supporters to wait for the final results.