Zohran Mamdani officially assumed office as the 112th Mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026, marking a historic moment for the metropolis. At 34, Mamdani became the city's youngest mayor since 1892, as well as its first Muslim and first South Asian leader. The private swearing-in ceremony took place just after midnight in a decommissioned subway station beneath City Hall, where he took his oath of office. In a significant departure from tradition, Mamdani chose to take his oath on the Quran, utilizing two copies for the private event: one belonging to his grandfather and another, a historic 200-year-old manuscript from the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. This particular Quran, an Ottoman-era text, symbolizes the deep and diverse Muslim history within New York. For a subsequent public inauguration held later that day at City Hall, administered by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Mamdani used a Quran inherited from his grandmother. Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, previously served as a New York State Assembly member for the 36th district, representing Astoria. His mayoral campaign focused on a progressive platform, including pledges for rent freezes, universal childcare, and free city bus service, aimed at addressing affordability in the city. Born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents—academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair—his background adds a layer of global and diaspora relevance to his ascent to one of the most prominent political offices in the United States. His victory, following a contested primary against former Governor Andrew Cuomo, represents a significant shift in New York City's political landscape.