The city of Parramatta Council elected Sameer Pandey their new Mayor on May 22, 2023. The appointment makes Pandey the first-ever Indian-origin person to hold the position in the Greater Western Sydney suburb.
A prominent individual of the suburb, Pandey was first elected as Councillor in the City Council in Sept. 2017 and as Deputy Lord Mayor in 2022. He serves on several city committees including Parramatta Light Rail, Sydney Central City Planning Panel, and Policy Review Committee among others.
“The City of Parramatta is the geographical heart of Greater Sydney and a major economic powerhouse as well as the best place in Sydney to live,” Pandey said in a statement. “Parramatta is home to a vibrant and diverse community and I’m excited to lead the city as it cements itself as Sydney’s second CBD and the focus of some of its most exciting opportunities.”
Since entering the political arena, Sameer has lent support to several reforms and initiatives in areas of Health, Safety, Heritage, Environment, Local Businesses, Open spaces, Accessibility and inclusiveness, Smart City, Promoting Multiculturalism, and improving Social and Transport Infrastructure among others, his website states.
Some of the initiatives he has advocated for include making Parramatta accessible to all, addressing the needs of the visually impaired, expanding non-English collections in city libraries, installation of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the city, and improving shared usage of council-owned parks, and reserves and sports grounds.
Aside from his political endeavours, Pandey is a small business owner in the areas of technology and education and has previously served as head of IT for an international health research company.
