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 Jagannathan. He told Jaffrey about the song and asked her to play the role of his Nani, a request she accepted.
The track was Mamdani’s affectionate tribute to Praveen and her larger-than-life personality.
Praveen had spent more than two decades working in the development sector before co-founding Salaam Baalak Trust in 1988 with her daughter, filmmaker Mira Nair, Anjou Chopra and Sanjoy K Roy. Her decision to focus on street children was influenced by Mira’s 1988 film Salaam Bombay!, which depicted the lives and struggles of children living on Mumbai’s streets. Before starting the trust, Praveen had worked with organisations including the Red Cross and several social welfare initiatives, particularly in Odisha.
