Four South Asian councillors across Sydney in Australia have been elected for city leadership positions, according to local media.
Ms Sandy Reddy was elected as Mayor of Strathfield while Ms Shweta Deshpande, Mr Masood Chowdhury and Ms Eliza Rahman were elected deputy mayors in Ryde, Campbelltown and Camden respectively.
Councillor Sandy, also known as Sandhya, was elected the 73rd Mayor of Strathfield at Council’s ordinary meeting on Sep. 29 and will serve until September 2028. First elected to Council in December 2021 and re-elected in 2024, Ms Sandy previously served two terms as Deputy Mayor, in 2023–2024 and 2025–2026.
A first-generation migrant from India, she brings experience in law, migration services and community volunteering. Her contribution to local life was recognised when she was named Strathfield’s Local Citizen of the Year in 2020.
Councillor Shweta Deshpande was elected Deputy Mayor of the City of Ryde at the ordinary Council meeting on 22 September 2026. She will hold the position until September 2027, returning to a role she previously held in 2023.
Ms Shweta brings professional experience in strategic marketing and leadership within the pharmaceutical industry. She holds an MBA and an undergraduate degree in English Literature, and has received innovation awards for her approach to problem-solving and managing teams.
Meanwhile, Councillor Masood Chowdhury was elected Deputy Mayor of Campbelltown on 1 September 2026 for a 12-month term. First elected to Council in 2016, Chowdhury takes on the deputy mayoralty for the first time.
And Councillor Eliza Rahman was elected Deputy Mayor of Camden at the ordinary Council meeting on 8 September 2026, alongside newly elected Mayor Vince Ferreri. Her new role comes as Camden continues to experience rapid population growth. Mayor Ferreri has identified the need for infrastructure to keep pace with that growth as an important area of advocacy for the Council.
Mr Masood and Ms Eliza are Bangladeshi Australians.
