A Number of Pakistani and Indian Americans Join New York Mayor-Elect Mamdani’s Historic Transition Team

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has appointed numerous Pakistani Americans and Indian Americans to his transition team as he prepares to take office on January 1, 2026, reflecting significant South Asian representation in what will be the city’s first Muslim and South Asian-led administration.

Pakistani American Leadership

The most prominent Pakistani American appointee is Lina Maliha Khan, who will serve as one of four transition co-chairs, according to The Nation. Khan, born in London to British-Pakistani parents, moved to the United States when she was 11 and attended public school in New York. She studied political science at Williams College in Massachusetts and later attended Yale Law School.

Khan became the youngest ever FTC chair in 2021 and led the agency until January 2025, earning recognition for her aggressive stance on antitrust enforcement and consumer protection. In a statement following her appointment, Khan said she was excited to help Mamdani build a team that will usher in a new era for New York City and set a new model for Democratic governance.

Indian Americans on Multiple Committees

Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, was appointed to serve on the new Worker Justice Committee. Desai has been a prominent voice for taxi workers’ rights in New York City for decades.

Meera Joshi, who served as deputy mayor under Mayor Eric Adams, was named to the Committee on Transportation, Climate and Infrastructure. Joshi brings extensive experience in city government and transportation policy, having previously served in various high-level municipal positions.

Felicia Singh from the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families was appointed to serve on one of the transition committees. Singh identifies as both Guyanese and Punjabi and has been active in education and policy advocacy.

Bangladeshi American Representation

Shamshul Haq from the Bangladeshi American Police Association was appointed to the Committee on Community Safety, according to CBS News New York. The Bangladeshi American Police Association represents law enforcement officers of Bangladeshi descent in New York City.

South Asian Organizers and Activists

Jagpreet Singh from Queens-based organization DRUM Beats was appointed to the Committee on Community Organizing. Singh serves as political director of DRUM Beats (Desis Rising Up and Moving), a collective of working-class South Asian New Yorkers. At Mamdani’s victory celebration, Singh described the election as a referendum and a show of the power they’ve been able to build both within their community and outside.

DRUM Beats, which stands for Desis — or South Asians — Rising Up and Moving, was among the first organizations to endorse Mamdani’s mayoral run and has been instrumental in mobilizing South Asian working-class voters.

Arts and Culture Committee

Diya Vij, recently appointed vice president of Curatorial and Arts Programs at Powerhouse Arts, was named to the Committee on Arts and Culture, according to Hyperallergic and Broadway World. She has held curatorial positions at Creative Time, the High Line, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Queens Museum.

Hiba Abid, the New York Public Library’s first-ever curator of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, was also named to the Arts and Culture Committee BRIC, according to Hyperallergic.

Additional South Asian Members

Hassan Naveed from Naveed Consulting, LLC was appointed to the Committee on Community Safety, according to CBS News New York.

Mohamed Q. Amin from the Caribbean Equality Project was named to serve on one of the transition committees. While limited public information is available about Amin’s specific background, his organization focuses on LGBTQ equality issues in Caribbean communities, which include significant Indo-Caribbean populations.

Broad Coalition of Over 400 Members

Mayor-elect Mamdani announced Monday the appointment of over 400 people across 17 committees.

The transition team includes two committees that have not been part of previous mayoral transitions: one on worker justice and another on community organizing, according to NY1. Mamdani emphasized that the committees would make hiring and policy recommendations as the mayor-elect begins to staff 60 agencies, 95 mayoral offices and 257 boards and commissions.

The mayor-elect, who will become New York City’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor, won election on a platform focused on making the city more affordable for working families. Mamdani said 70,000 people have submitted resumes to join his administration, with an average applicant age of 28, according to NY1.

Mamdani stated that his transition would be defined by purpose and preparation rather than pageantry and pomp.

The significant South Asian representation on the transition team reflects both the diversity of New York City’s population and the strong grassroots organizing that characterized Mamdani’s campaign, particularly within South Asian working-class communities.

This story was aggregated by AI from several news reports and edited by American Kahani’s News Desk.