Overview
- Sandhya Reddy, a Telangana-born immigration lawyer who moved to Australia in 1991, was elected by Strathfield councillors to serve a two-year term as mayor.
- Reddy built a local profile after operating an education and migration services practice and serving as a councillor before becoming deputy mayor.
- Her council career progressed from election as a Strathfield councillor to deputy mayor and then mayor, showing a steady local political rise.
- Political figures in Telangana publicly congratulated Reddy, and one leader claimed she is the first person from India to be elected a mayor in Australia, a wider claim that coverage notes has limited corroboration.
- Strathfield is one of Sydney’s most culturally diverse councils, and Reddy’s elevation may strengthen community representation and shape local focus on migration, settlement services and multicultural engagement.