Zohran Mamdani, a rising figure in New York politics and a proud member of both the Democratic Party and Democratic Socialists of America, is shaping up to be a key contender in the 2025 mayoral race. But while his political life has often been front and center, his personal life stayed quietly in the background, especially when it came to his wife.
For months after tying the knot, Mamdani kept their relationship out of the public eye. No wedding posts. No soft launches. Not even a mention.
That changed in May 2025, when online trolls began targeting his spouse, Rama Duwaji, accusing him of hiding her and criticizing her pro-Palestinian art.
He responded by posting a series of vintage-style and strikingly personal photos on Instagram.
“If you take a look at Twitter today, or any day for that matter, you know how vicious politics can be. I usually brush it off, whether it’s death threats or calls for me to be deported. But it’s different when it’s about those you love,” he wrote.
“Three months ago, I married the love of my life, Rama, at the City Clerk’s office. Now, right-wing trolls are trying to make this race—which should be about you—about her.”
He didn’t just defend her—he uplifted her.
“Rama isn’t just my wife, she’s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms.”
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A quiet clue had already slipped out a month earlier, when Mamdani casually mentioned to the Interview Magazine how much he admired the building where they got married.
“Well, I recently got married in a civil ceremony at the clerk’s office, and I absolutely loved that building,” He said. “The outside is just so beautiful and reminiscent of a different New York City, and the inside is in many ways public goods personified. All of these New Yorkers getting married at the same time at different ages and at different times in their lives, it’s very beautiful.”
Now, with the speculation behind them, here’s a closer look at Zohran Mamdani’s life partner, Rama Duwaji—from their secret engagement to who she is beyond the headlines.
Let’s go.
They First Had a Civil Ceremony in NYC and Then a Nikkah in Dubai
Long before Mamdani shared his marriage with the public, he and his better half, Rama Duwaji, had already celebrated it in two very different cities. The first was a quiet civil ceremony at the City Clerk’s Office in New York. But before that, the couple had flown to Dubai, where Rama’s family lives.
On December 22, 2024, they hosted a low-key rooftop celebration at Vida Creek Harbour, a venue known for its sweeping views of the Burj Khalifa. It wasn’t a flashy affair—just close friends and family gathered to witness the couple’s engagement and Nikkah, the Islamic ceremony where marriage is made official by signing a contract.
Though the venue looks upscale, reports say the event was modestly priced by Dubai standards—around $72 per guest with a minimum catering spend of $2,700.
For Rama, Dubai has always been more than a backdrop. She spent much of the pandemic there with her family.
Rama Duwaji Is an Illustrator and Animator
She’s an established artist in her own right. Based in Brooklyn, she’s built a career that spans illustration and animation, with her work appearing in publications like The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and VICE.
Her art often focuses on sisterhood and shared experiences, using hand-drawn portraits and motion to explore themes that feel both deeply personal and universally relatable. Over the years, she’s worked with major names—BBC, Apple, Spotify, and the Tate Modern.
Rama earned her Master of Fine Arts in Illustration from New York’s School of Visual Arts, a program that runs close to $29,000 per semester. But her connection to art didn’t begin in college—it’s been with her since childhood.
“I was making art since high school, mostly out of boredom in classes,” she told Maamoul Press. “I’ve had sketchbooks since I was in 6th grade (they were the worst, but still part of the process,) but I only decided to pursue art/illustration as a career last minute in my last few months of high school while applying for university.”
These days, she finds creative sparks in unexpected places. “My creative inspirations are cave formations, after I visited some amazing caves in Beirut and fell in love with the endless lines and shapes the rocks make.”
She’s also drawn to the work of artists like Carson Ellis, Rithika Merchant, Betsy Walton, Ronan Bouroullec, and Rachel Levit Ruiz.
Zohran Met His Wife On a Dating App
Before they became real-life partners, Zohran and his spouse, Rama, were just two people navigating the dating world like everyone else, with the help of an app. In an interview with YouTuber Kaneez Surka, Mamdani shared that their story began on Hinge.
“First, I found my wife on Hinge,” he said. “So (dating apps) still work. Just to let people know. Second is, I think we also need to give people more time in their lives.”
