NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 4, 2025 – Mathura Sridharan, an Indian-origin lawyer with an impressive legal background, has been appointed as Ohio’s 12th Solicitor General by Attorney General Dave Yost. The appointment, announced on July 31, has drawn widespread attention—both for Sridharan’s credentials and for the wave of racist remarks that followed on social media.
Sridharan became the target of racist and xenophobic online trolling. Critics attacked her Indian heritage, questioned her Americanness, and singled out her wearing a bindi—derogatorily calling it a “dot” or “perma‑dot”. Comments were racist like, “Why would you select someone who isn’t an American?” and “The only thing ‘Mathura Sridharan’ should be selected for is a one-way ticket to India.” Another troll wrote, “Do they have anyone in Ohio who doesn’t look like an ad for the H‑1B visa program?
As Solicitor General, Sridharan will serve as Ohio’s top appellate lawyer, representing the state in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and federal and state appellate courts. A graduate of the NYU School of Law, she also holds multiple degrees in electrical engineering, computer science, and economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Sridharan has clerked for federal judges and previously argued on behalf of Ohio in the U.S. Supreme Court case Ohio v. EPA.
Attorney General Yost responded firmly, denouncing the attacks as rooted in bias rather than substance. “If her name or her complexion bother you, the problem is not with her or her appointment,” Yost said, emphasizing that Sridharan is an American citizen, the daughter of naturalized parents, and married to a U.S. citizen. He highlighted her legal expertise and record of service, urging the public to judge her on merit rather than ethnicity.
Observers note that the backlash highlights ongoing challenges faced by visible minorities in public office, even as Indian Americans increasingly hold key legal and political positions across the United States.
Sridharan has not issued a public statement regarding the controversy, focusing instead on her new role leading Ohio’s appellate advocacy.
