HYDERABAD: Sandhya “Sandy” Reddy, who was born and raised in Hyderabad, has been elected Mayor of Strathfield Council in Sydney, Australia. The election on September 29, 2026, makes her the 73rd mayor of the local government area, and she is due to serve for the remainder of the mayoral term through September 2028.
Reddy’s appointment is a Hyderabad-to-world story built over years of professional work and community service—not a sudden rise to office. She entered local government as a councillor in December 2021, was re-elected in 2024, and has served twice as deputy mayor. Strathfield Council confirmed her election and the term dates in its official announcement.
From Hyderabad to public life in Sydney
Reddy’s roots are in Hyderabad’s Khairatabad area, with family origins also reported in Mellareddygudem village in Telangana’s Vikarabad district. She studied in Hyderabad before moving to Australia in 1991 after her marriage. Reports identify her as a first-generation migrant from India.
Her academic background spans law, anthropology and migration law. Strathfield Council’s 2023–24 annual report lists a Bachelor of Law, a Master of Anthropology and a Graduate Certificate in Migration Law from the Australian National University. She has also operated an education and migration services practice in the community where she later entered elected office.
A career shaped by community work
Before entering council politics, Reddy was involved in local volunteering and community initiatives. Strathfield Council records her participation in school chess tournaments, Clean Up Australia activities, Share the Dignity, blood-donation drives and the State Emergency Service (SES). During the 2019–20 bushfire period, she assisted through SES-related work, according to Australian reporting.
In 2020, Strathfield named her its Citizen of the Year in recognition of her community contributions. Her work has included supporting newly arrived residents, young people, women affected by domestic violence and local community organisations, according to The Australia Today’s report on her mayoral election.
Reddy has also been involved in multicultural and diversity initiatives through council. The council’s annual report records that she chaired its Multicultural and Diversity Advisory Committee, a role that connected her community work with local policy and representation.
Her path through local government
Reddy was first elected to Strathfield Council in December 2021 and returned at the 2024 local government election. She served as deputy mayor from September 2023 to September 2024, and again from September 2025 until her election as mayor.
At Strathfield’s September 29, 2026 meeting, councillors elected Reddy mayor and Esther Kim deputy mayor. The mayor is selected by fellow councillors rather than directly elected by the public in a separate mayoral ballot. The New South Wales Electoral Commission lists Reddy among the councillors elected in 2024.
What the mayor’s role means
Strathfield is a local government area in Sydney’s inner west. Its council is responsible for local services and decisions affecting roads, parks, public spaces, facilities, town centres and community planning. The council has identified population growth, transport and parking, urban design, green space and services for culturally and linguistically diverse residents among its continuing priorities.
In her first comments after the election, Reddy described the role as both an honour and a responsibility. She said she intended to work with fellow councillors, council staff and residents, and emphasised that decisions made today would shape the community in the years ahead.
Her election has been welcomed by political leaders and members of the Telugu community in Australia and India. While some media reports have described her as the first Indian migrant woman to hold the position, GAWAH has not independently established a definitive historical record for that distinction. The verified milestone is her election as Strathfield’s 73rd mayor.
A Hyderabad connection with an Australian civic impact
Reddy’s story connects Hyderabad’s educational and professional pathways with local public service in Australia. Her career spans migration services, volunteer work and elected local government, culminating in a leadership role in a culturally diverse Sydney community.
For Hyderabad readers, the significance lies not only in where she began, but in the long community involvement that preceded her election. Her mayoral term will be measured by the local decisions and services delivered for Strathfield residents through September 2028.
