‘Thinking of you’: Mamdani writes to Umar Khalid

New York City’s Indian-origin mayor, Zohran Mamdani has sent a handwritten letter to jailed activist Umar Khalid.

- Hemani Bhandari and Shashank Mattoo

The handwritten note from Mamdani.

(X/@BANOJYOTSNA)

Separately, eight US lawmakers have written a letter to India’s ambassador in Washington urging that India grant bail as well asa fair trial to Khalid.

In the letter addressed to Khalid, Mamdani said, “Dear Umar, I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume one’s self. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you.”

The 34-year-old, who was elected as the city’s first Asian American and Muslim mayor last year, handed over the note to Khalid’s parents when he met them during their trip to the US in December 2025.