"Logon Ke Dil Badal Gaye": Zohran Mamdani's Inaugural Speech Goes Viral

Newly sworn-in New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani pledges to prioritise affordability and inclusivity, vowing to make the city accessible to all residents.

02 Jan 2026, 05:30 · NDTV

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Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani took oath as New York City Mayor, first South Asian and Muslim in role
Inaugural speech emphasized unity, serving all residents regardless of religion or political support
Mamdani recounted the words of a supporter and said in Hindi, "logon ke dil badal gaye" by his campaign

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Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani took oath as New York City Mayor, becoming the first South Asian and Muslim elected to the helm of the largest city in the United States. In his inaugural speech, the 34-year-old gave a message of unity and pledged to serve all residents, regardless of their religion or if they supported his candidacy.

In an ode to his South Asian heritage, Mamdani recounted the words of one of his supporters in Hindi, who told him that his election campaign fostered "softness in people's hearts". The clip of his speech has gone viral on social media.

Addressing thousands of New Yorkers and political figures, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the democratic socialist used his inaugural speech to lay out a governing vision centred on working-class residents and the challenge of affordability.

Mamdani recounted recent interactions with New Yorkers that helped shape his affordability-driven agenda. At the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, he listened to “New Yorkers from every borough as they told me about the city that is theirs. They discussed, among other topics, “affordable housing for artists”.

It was during that engagement, Mamdani said, that he spoke to a Pakistani woman named Samina, who reflected on what she saw as a deeper shift taking place in the city. “I spoke to a Pakistani auntie named Samina, who told me that this movement had fostered something too rare: softness in people's hearts. As she said in Hindi, ‘Logon ke dil badal gaye hain' (people's hearts have changed).”

Placing those experiences at the centre of his governing philosophy, Mamdani said, “Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously,” adding that his administration would pursue an agenda focused on safety, affordability and abundance.

“Over the years to come, my administration will resurrect that legacy. City Hall will deliver an agenda of safety, affordability, and abundance, where government looks and lives like the people it represents, never flinches in the fight against corporate greed, and refuses to cower before challenges that others have deemed too complicated.”

He also pledged to serve all residents, including those who did not support his candidacy. “If you are a New Yorker, I am your mayor... Regardless of whether we agree, I will protect you, celebrate with you, mourn alongside you, and never hide from you."

Mamdani also framed affordability as inseparable from questions of belonging and inclusion. “In so doing, we will provide our own answer to that age-old question: who does New York belong to? Well, my friends, we can look to Madiba and the South African Freedom Charter: New York belongs to all who live in it. Together, we will tell a new story of our city.”

Mamdani added that economic barriers have long limited freedom in the city. “For too long in our city, freedom has belonged only to those who can afford to buy it. Our City Hall will change that,” he said.

He also highlighted the social aspect of his agenda, saying his administration would not only help New Yorkers afford a better quality of life but also “overcome the isolation that too many feel and connect the people of this city to one another.”

In a message of inclusivity, Mandani said, "The authors of this story will speak Pashto and Mandarin, Yiddish and Creole." He added that New Yorkers would worship in mosques, churches, synagogues, gurdwaras, mandirs and temples or not worship at all.

Family members and political allies joined Mamdani on stage during the ceremony. His father, Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani; his mother, filmmaker Mira Nair; and his wife, artist Rama Duwaji, were present. Governor Kathy Hochul, who endorsed Mamdani in September 2025 and is expected to play a major role in advancing his affordability agenda, was also there.

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