NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
San Carlos, CA, December 19, 2025:Pranita Venkatesh, an Indian-origin city councilmember, has been elected mayor of San Carlos, California, following a unanimous vote by the San Carlos City Council earlier this month.
Venkatesh was selected under the city’s council-manager form of government, where the mayor is chosen by fellow councilmembers rather than through a direct public election. She was sworn in as mayor in early December 2025.
Born in Fiji to Indian parents, Venkatesh moved to the United States as a child and grew up in California. She holds degrees in psychology and built her professional career as a child psychologist before becoming an entrepreneur. She later founded a Montessori preschool in San Carlos, focusing on early childhood education and family support.
Before her election to the City Council in 2022, Venkatesh served for three years on the San Carlos Economic Development Advisory Commission. She ran for council with the endorsement of the San Mateo County Democratic Party and has been active in local civic and community issues.
San Carlos, a city of about 28,000 residents in San Mateo County, is located between San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Venkatesh’s elevation to the mayor’s role reflects the growing participation of Indian-origin and immigrant leaders in local government across the United States.
As mayor, Venkatesh has said her priorities include public safety, childcare and family services, housing, and economic stability for residents and small businesses. Her background in education and child development is expected to inform her approach to community-focused policymaking.
Her appointment has drawn attention within Indian-American circles as another milestone in diaspora representation at the municipal level, particularly in California’s Bay Area.
Cover photo credit: Pranita Venkatesh/X.
