Mira Nair’s son, in NYC mayoral race, has Odisha buzzing | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: As Zohran Mamdani steps into the spotlight in New York City’s mayoral race, a quiet buzz is building nearly halfway across the world —in Odisha.Son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, the progressive candidate’s campaign has stirred a wave of nostalgia in the state, where his family’s roots run deep. Mira was born in Rourkela, while her father, Amrit Lal Nair, served as an IAS officer and helped set up Rourkela Steel Plant during the 1950s.With the June 24 election approaching, many in the state have taken to social media to recall Zohran’s maternal ties and celebrate the region’s unexpected link to a global political stage.Born on Oct 15, 1957, in Rourkela, Mira lived and studied in the steel city and later in Bhubaneswar before moving outside the state for higher education.“I was a proud and happy member of Ispat English Medium School, Rourkela, between the ages of 7 and 10, from 1964–67. The school gave me the foundation to keep my feet on the ground and yet to dream beyond horizons,” she fondly recalled in a message shared during the school’s recent diamond jubilee, now making the rounds on social media.That formative chapter of Mira’s life was set against the backdrop of her father’s presence in the state’s administrative landscape. Amrit Lal, a 1949-batch IAS officer, served in the state through the 1950s. “Zohran’s maternal grandfather was instrumental in the setting up of the Rourkela Steel Plant and taking up various other development programmes in those early days. Nair Chowk in Rajgangpur and Nair stadium in govt college, Sundargarh, are named after him,” a state govt official, who did not wish to be named, posted on X. The post even suggested that should Zohran win, perhaps he could help start a Bali Jatra festival — held annually in Cuttack to celebrate Odisha’s maritime history — in New York City.While Zohran’s political journey has unfolded thousands of miles away — from Uganda, where he was born, to Queens, New York, where he was raised — his campaign hasn’t shied away from embracing his South Asian roots. On Thursday, he released a campaign video in Hindi, outlining his development agenda, which is likely aimed at strengthening ties with South Asian communities across New York City’s boroughs.
