Nithya Raman
Awards & Honours
0
Awards Won
3
Records
Nithya Raman's most significant achievement is her historic election to the Los Angeles City Council in 2020, where she became the first South Asian and first Asian woman to serve. She also made history by advancing to the general election for Mayor of Los Angeles in 2026, the first person of South Asian origin to do so. Her work on housing and homelessness policy has been recognized by progressive advocacy groups, though she has not received major institutional awards.
Records & Feats
First South Asian and first Asian woman on the Los Angeles City Council
Elected in 2020, Raman became the first person of South Asian descent and the first Asian woman to serve on the Los Angeles City Council.
First person to oust a sitting LA councilor in 17 years
Raman defeated incumbent David Ryu in the 2020 election, the first time in 17 years that a sitting councilmember lost a reelection bid.
First South Asian mayoral general election candidate in Los Angeles
In 2026, Raman advanced to the general election for Mayor of Los Angeles, becoming the first South Asian to reach that stage in the city's history.