Zohran Mamdani was inaugurated as New York City’s mayor at a public ceremony on Thursday (local time), becoming the city’s 112th mayor. The event was held on the steps of City Hall and drew hundreds of New Yorkers.
At 34,
Mamdani is the youngest mayor the city has seen in generations. He also made history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor, the first mayor of South Asian origin, and the first to be born in Africa.
Bernie Sanders administers oath, AOC introduces Mayor
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders administered the public oath of office. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced Mamdani to the crowd before the ceremony.
Addressing those gathered, Mamdani said, “My fellow New Yorkers, today begins a new era. I stand before you moved by the privilege of taking this sacred oath. Humbled by the faith that you have placed in me.”
He added that he was “honoured to serve” as either the city’s 111th or 112th mayor, pointing to a long-standing dispute in New York’s official records. “While only action can change minds, I promise you this: if you are a New Yorker, I am your mayor,” Mamdani said.
In his speech, Mamdani thanked both Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders for their support.
He also referred to outgoing mayor Eric Adams with a touch of humour, saying, “I will always be touched that he chose me as the mayoral candidate that he would most want to be trapped within in an elevator.”
Family attends city hall ceremony
Mamdani’s wife, artist Rama Duwaji, attended the ceremony along with his parents -- filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani.
The invocation was delivered by Imam Khalid Latif, executive director of the Islamic Center of New York City. He was joined by faith leaders from different religious communities, reflecting the city’s diversity.
Music, performances mark inauguration celebrations
Music played a key role in Mamdani’s inauguration. The programme featured welcome music by DJ mOma, followed by Grammy-winning singer Lucy Dacus performing “Bread and Roses”.
Actor Mandy Patinkin and the PS22 Chorus of Staten Island performed “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.
The ceremony ended with a Punjabi music performance by Toronto-based artist Babbulicious, who sang “Gaddi Red Challenger”. Mamdani, along with his wife Rama Duwaji, was seen dancing as the crowd joined in.
Earlier private oath taken at subway station
Before the public ceremony, Mamdani took a private oath just after midnight at a closed subway station. He was joined by his wife and family.
Speaking afterwards, he said, "This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime. I cannot wait to see everyone tomorrow as we begin our term. After just having taken my oath to become the mayor of the city of New York, I do so also here in the old city hall subway station -- a testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health, the legacy of our city."
For the private ceremony, Mamdani chose to take his oath on a Quran from the New York Public Library that once belonged to Afro-Latino historian Arturo Schomburg.
From Kampala to City Hall
Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a noted author and Marxist scholar, while his mother, Mira Nair, is an award-winning filmmaker known for movies such as Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake.
He moved to New York City at age seven, studied in public schools, and later graduated from the Bronx High School of Science. Mamdani earned a degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College and became a US citizen in 2018.
Before entering politics, Mamdani worked as a housing counsellor in Queens, helping low-income families with housing issues and financial challenges.
He later became the first South Asian man and the first Ugandan elected to the New York State Assembly, and only the third Muslim to hold the post.
Mamdani began his political journey with the Democratic Socialists of America in 2017. He won his State Assembly seat in 2020 and was re-elected unopposed in 2022 and 2024.
His key policy goals include affordable housing, free public transport, and raising the minimum wage to $30 by 2030.
Announcing his mayoral run, Mamdani had said, “This campaign is for every person who believes in the dignity of their neighbours and that the government’s job is to actually make our lives better.”
 "Zohran Mamdani becomes New York mayor in historic City Hall ceremony")
