Ohio Names Mathura Sridharan As Solicitor General, Online Trolls Target Her For Wearing Bindi
Mathura Sridharan, an Indian-origin attorney with a distinguished academic and legal background, has been appointed as the new Solicitor General of Ohio, becoming the state's top appellate lawyer. While the milestone marks a significant achievement in her career, it has also made her the target of online abuse, largely centered around her wearing of a traditional bindi.
The announcement was made on July 31 by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who praised Sridharan as 'brilliant" and 'exceptionally qualified" for the position. In her role, she will argue on behalf of the state in high-profile appellate cases, including those before the US Supreme Court.
Sridharan replaces Benjamin Flowers, who stepped down to join the US Department of Justice. She had previously served as Deputy Solicitor General and led Ohio's Tenth Amendment Center. She is credited with arguing Ohio v. EPA, a major environmental case, before the Supreme Court earlier this year.
Despite her credentials, Sridharan faced a wave of social media trolling following her appointment. Much of the criticism focused not on her legal qualifications but on her Indian heritage and the red bindi on her forehead in official portraits. Some users questioned her 'Americanness," while others made xenophobic claims such as, 'Ohio will soon be governed entirely by Indians."
However, Yost quickly came to her defence. In a statement, he said: 'A few commenters have asserted incorrectly that Mathura is not American. She is a United States citizen, married to a US citizen, and the child of naturalised US citizens. If her name or her complexion bothers you, the problem is not with her or her appointment."
Born to Indian immigrants, Sridharan boasts an impressive academic record. She earned a JD from the New York University School of Law in 2018 and holds dual degrees in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, along with a Bachelor's in Economics, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Her legal career includes prestigious clerkships with Judge Steven Menashi on the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the late Judge Deborah Batts on the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Sridharan is trained in Carnatic music and has performed at various sabhas, including during Chennai's December music season in 2010. She has been married to Ashwin Suresh since 2015.
Both former Ohio Solicitor Generals—Elliot Gaiser and Benjamin Flowers—publicly backed her appointment, emphasising her competence and readiness for the post.
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