USA
Ken Mathew, a native of Kerala, has made history as the first Indian-American and person of color to be inaugurated as the Mayor of Stafford in the state of Texas, USA. After a closely contested run-off race, Mathew, a former member of the Stafford City Council, emerged victorious, defeating the incumbent Mayor Cecil Willis by a margin of 16 votes.
According to the Fort Bend Star, Mathew attributed his success to his unwavering faith in God. At a special ceremony attended by his family members and prominent officials, Mathew was administered the oath of office by Robin Elackatt, the Mayor of Missouri City, who is also of Indian-American descent. The event was graced by the presence of Indian-American Fort Bend County Judge, K.P. George, who congratulated Mathew on his new role via a tweet.
In addition, Texas representatives Ron Reynolds and Suleman Lulani, along with former Missouri City Mayor Owen Allen, were among the distinguished guests at the ceremony. Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, extended his congratulations to Mathew through a tweet, acknowledging his achievement as the first Indian to hold the mayoral position in Stafford’s 67-year history.
Mathew’s journey in public service began in 2006 when he was first elected to the Stafford Council. Prior to that, he served on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission for several years. He moved to the United States in the 1970s after earning a degree from the University of Bombay. With an MBA and a background in accounting and finance, he worked for various corporations, including Toshiba in the Houston area. Mathew has been a resident of Stafford since 1982.
