Indian-origin American lawyer Mathura Sridharan was appointed as the Solicitor General of Ohio earlier this week. However, the announcement, made on July 31 by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, was quickly followed by a wave of racist and xenophobic remarks online. Despite her accomplishments, some trolls on social media fixated on her Indian heritage and even her ‘bindi’, questioning why the position hadn’t gone to a “real American”.

Some comments on the announcement post went so far as to say that, at the current rate, “Ohio will soon be exclusively governed by Indians.”

ALSO READ

Attorney General Yost defends Sridharan

Yost, however, strongly defended the appointment, lauding Sridharan’s stellar credentials and courtroom record. “Mathura is brilliant… she won her argument at SCOTUS last year,” Yost posted on X. He added, “She will serve Ohio well.”

In a sharp rebuttal, Yost 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 naturalized US citizens.” He added, “If her name or her complexion bothers you, the problem is not with her or her appointment.”

Who is Mathura Sridharan?

Sridharan currently serves as Deputy Solicitor General and heads Ohio’s Tenth Amendment Center. She holds degrees from some of the most prestigious institutions in the US: a Juris Doctor from NYU School of Law and both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, along with a degree in Economics.

ALSO READ

Before joining Ohio’s Solicitor’s Office, she clerked for Judge Steven J Menashi of the US Court of Appeals (Second Circuit) and Judge Deborah A Batts of the Southern District of New York.

Outside the courtroom, Sridharan is reportedly trained in Carnatic music and has performed during Chennai’s famed December music season. She has been married to Ashwin Suresh since 2015.