The 10th India Day Parade was held in the Floral Park neighborhood of Queens, New York City, on August 16, 2025. Ron Adar / M10s / SplashNews.com

Zohran Mamdani owes his spectacular political rise to one New York City demographic above all others: South Asians.

And while they make up only 5% of the city’s population, this rapidly growing ethnic group is making itself heard.

South Asian turnout in June’s Democratic primary increased by 40% compared to 2021.

This was no accident. Mamdani’s strategy included a series of direct appeals to Desi New Yorkers — underscoring the increasing importance of these voters to the future of both NYC and the country.

On Feb. 5, when Emerson College released its first mayoral primary poll, a plurality of Asians (20.8%) named former Gov. Andrew Cuomo

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