India, Nov. 5 -- Nitya Raman (45), a Malayali girl who left Keralam at age of six has risen to become the Mayor of Los Angeles, defeating incumbent Karen Bass. With family roots in Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram, her victory is also a moment of pride for the Malayali community in USA.

Born on 28 July 1981, Nithya Raman is the daughter of R Venkataraman, who worked with Keltron (a Public sector undertaking of Keralam, producing electronic equipment), and Sudha, an employee of Indian Overseas Bank. Her father hails from Thiruvananthapuram, while her mother is from Thrissur. Her grandfather, K Rama Iyer, served as a postmaster, and the family once lived in the East Fort area of Thiruvananthapuram.

Father Venkataraman later moved to Mumbai...