India, Aug. 4 -- Praveen Nair, the mother of filmmaker Mira Nair, grandmother of New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani and the inspiration behind his viral rap song Nani, has died at the age of 94. A noted social worker and philanthropist, she was also the co-founder of Salaam Baalak Trust, an organisation working with underprivileged street children.

Mamdani, who makes music under the name Mr Cardamom, released Nani in 2019 as a tribute to his maternal grandmother. The song celebrated Praveen's personality and their close bond, while its music video featured veteran actor and chef Madhur Jaffrey as the titular grandmother. Mamdani brought Jaffrey into the project after meeting her for tea through their mutual friend, actor Poorna Jagannath...