Art, Politics And A Hinge Match: Zohran Mamdani And Rama Duwaji’s Cross-Continental Love Story | World News

Zohran and Rama got engaged in December 2024 in Dubai

New York’s new mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani isn’t just making headlines for shattering political barriers but he’s also winning hearts with his love story. At 34, the Indian-origin lawmaker has become the city’s first Muslim mayor and its youngest leader in more than a century. Beside him through his rapid rise has been Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist and his wife.

How Zohran Mamdani Met Rama Duwaji

Zohran Mamdani revealed on The Bulwark podcast that the two first matched in 2021, describing it as a “normal” connection that grew naturally through messages and a few meetings.

“There’s still hope in these dating apps,” he quipped.

At the time, Rama Duwaji was building her art career after growing up between Dubai and the US, while Zohran Mamdani was becoming a familiar face in New York’s progressive movement. For months, they kept their relationship away from public view but as Zohran Mamdani’s profile grew- particularly after a televised spar with Andrew Cuomo on The Tucker Carlson Show- the couple began appearing together at events and on social media.

By October 2024, the couple were engaged and two months later, they celebrated their nikah in Dubai. The ceremony, held on the rooftop of Vida Creek Harbour with panoramic views of the Burj Khalifa, featured white roses and lisianthus under a sunset sky.

The pair later made it official at a civil ceremony in New York City’s Clerk’s Office, a simple affair that Zohran Mamdani called “very beautiful” in an interview with Interview Magazine. In July 2025, they hosted a three-day celebration in Uganda, Zohran Mamdani’s birthplace, surrounded by family and friends.