‘We are all proud of her’: Thiruvananthapuram kin cheer Indian-origin Nithya Raman's historic win as Los Angeles mayor

Nithya Raman, who was born in Thiruvananthapuram and moved to the US at the age of six, is set to become the mayor of Los Angeles, a historic win for the Indian-origin woman. Her family in Kerala is extremely proud of her achievement, with her paternal aunt recalling their strong connections to the city. Raman's father worked for the Keltron state-run organization, while her mother worked in a bank before they relocated to Mumbai and later the US when she was five.

After her parents moved back to Thrissur after a year, Raman joined them when she turned six. Despite leaving her homeland at a young age, she has maintained strong ties to her roots, speaking Tamil fluently and understanding Malayalam and Hindi. The family recently shared old photographs of Raman with their grandfather, strengthening their connection to their shared history.

Raman, now 45, is a member of the Los Angeles City Council and defeated incumbent Karen Bass in the November 3 election. The victory marks the first time a South Asian American has held the position of mayor in Los Angeles, which will be one of two major US cities to have a leader of South Asian descent.