Nithya Raman, who left Thiruvananthapuram for the US at the age of six, is back in the spotlight in her hometown, with her family's pride soaring as she prepares to become the mayor of Los Angeles.
For her relatives in the Keralam capital, Raman's electoral triumph is an emotional moment, bringing back memories of her early childhood in the Fort area, close to the famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
Her paternal aunt, Vanaja Sankar, who lives in Kumarapuram, recalled the family's ties with the city and said she was happy about Raman's historic win.
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Raman's father worked at the state-run Keltron, while her mother was employed in a bank. He first moved to Mumbai and later to the US for higher studies when Nithya was around five, her first cousin Vidhya Sankar said.
"After her father left, Nithya and her mother stayed for about a year at her maternal home in Thrissur. When she turned six, both of them also moved to the US," Vidhya told a television channel.
Though she left Keralam at a young age, Raman has stayed connected to her family and roots in the state.
{{/usCountry}}Though she left Keralam at a young age, Raman has stayed connected to her family and roots in the state.
{{/usCountry}}Tamil was spoken at home, and she speaks it fluently, the family said.
She knows Hindi and understands Malayalam, though her cousin said she may not be as proficient in speaking it now.
"We are very excited. Nithya has visited here several times. Her last visit was about five years ago, when she brought her two children to meet her paternal grandfather here," Vidhya said.
The family said popular South Indian actor Abhirami (of 'Virumaandi'-fame) is Raman's cousin. Vidhya shared old photographs of Nithya and Abhirami with their grandfather, offering a glimpse into their childhood bond.
For the relatives, the old photographs and memories have acquired special significance after Raman's remarkable political achievement.
"May Nithya achieve everything she wishes for. We are all proud of her," Vidhya said.
The family members said they were delighted that someone who had spent her early years in Thiruvananthapuram had gone on to make a mark in public life in the US.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister V D Satheesan congratulated Raman on her victory, describing it as an inspiration to the people of Keralam and the global Malayali community.
In a post on X, Satheesan said the victory was historic, noting that she would become the 44th mayor of Los Angeles and the first South Asian American to hold the post. Describing her as a daughter of Keralam who had made her mark in urban planning and public service far from home, he wished her success in serving the city and its people.
Raman, 45, a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing District 4, defeated incumbent Karen Bass, 73, in the November 3 election. Bass conceded defeat on Thursday.
With her victory, the two largest US cities, New York and Los Angeles, will have mayors of South Asian descent. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who took office in January 2026, is a Democratic Socialist.
An urban planner by training, Raman graduated from Harvard University and later earned a postgraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
She was among several Indian-American candidates who won in the 2026 US midterm elections, in which the Democrats made significant gains and secured control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The Indian American Impact said Raman's victory reflected the growing political representation of South Asian Americans in California, home to more than one million people of South Asian origin.