Hyderabad-Born Sandhya Reddy Elected Mayor of Sydney’s Strathfield Council

A Telangana woman has achieved a rare distinction in Sydney, Australia. Hyderabad-born Karri Sandhya Reddy, popularly known as Sandy Reddy, has been elected Mayor of the Strathfield Council, one of the key local government areas in Sydney. The election was held during the council’s ordinary meeting on Tuesday. With this achievement, she has become the first woman from Telangana to be elected mayor in Australia.

Esther Kim was elected Deputy Mayor alongside her. According to the official announcement, Sandhya Reddy will serve as Mayor until September 2028, while Esther Kim will continue as Deputy Mayor until September 2027.

Speaking after her election, Sandhya Reddy said, “I am honoured to have the opportunity to serve the local community. It is a great responsibility. With the support of councillors, staff and residents, let us make our area an even better place to live and work.”

Sandhya Reddy’s roots are in Khairatabad, Hyderabad. She completed her intermediate education at Stanley College, earned a law degree from the University of Hyderabad and completed her postgraduate studies at Osmania University. After getting married in 1991, she moved to Australia with her husband, Karri Reddy, and established herself as an immigration lawyer.

Apart from her professional career, Sandhya Reddy has been actively involved in community service. She played a key role in installing a statue of former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao at the Homebush Community Centre. In recognition of her contributions, she received the ‘Strathfield Citizen of the Year’ award in 2020.

She was elected as an independent councillor in 2021 and became Deputy Mayor in 2023. Sandhya Reddy is also a relative of BJP MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy. Following news of her election, several prominent figures, including BRS NRI coordinator Mahesh Bigala, congratulated her.

Outgoing Mayor Benjamin Cai thanked Sandhya Reddy for her service to the council and for her contributions during her previous tenure as Deputy Mayor.