Meet Sofia Firdous, first Muslim woman to win assembly election in Odisha

Sofia Firdous, who is set to become Odisha's first Muslim woman legislator, has said that she keeps her identity as an Odia, Indian, and a woman, ahead of that as a “Muslim MLA.”

Sofia Firdous (x/@sofiafirdous1)

“I am an Odia, Indian, and a woman first. Throughout my career and professional life in real estate, I have worked hard for women's empowerment and I will continue to do so in politics too. Being a Muslim politician is something I have never given a thought to,” the Congress member, 32, told NDTV.

Talking about how she ended up contesting what was her maiden election, Firdous recalled how she had only one month to prepare. Her father and senior Congress leader Mohammed Moqium, who held the Barabati-Cuttack assembly seat, was disqualified after he was convicted in a loan fraud case, a verdict upheld by the Odisha High Court in April.