Bhubaneswar: The newly elected Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, has a remarkable connection to Odisha through his family. Mamdani is the grandson of Amritlal Nair, a visionary administrator who served as the District Collector of Sundargarh in the late 1950s and the son of Rourkela-born, award-winning filmmaker Mira Nair.

Amritlal Nair is remembered in Sundargarh as a progressive officer who contributed significantly to the district’s educational development. During his tenure in 1958, he was instrumental in establishing a college, aimed at providing higher education opportunities to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The institution continues to serve as a key milestone in promoting education among tribal communities.

Mira Nair, born in Rourkela during her father’s tenure, r

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