Who is Mathura Sridharan, and why is her bindi being trolled?

Mathura Sridharan, an Indian-origin lawyer in the US, has been appointed as the 12th Solicitor General of Ohio. She will now serve as the state’s top appellate attorney, representing Ohio for appeals in state and federal courts.

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The announcement was made by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who commended her legal expertise, calling her “a legal force to be reckoned with.”

“Mathura is a relentless defender of Ohioans, a champion of federalism and a legal force to be reckoned with in a courtroom,” Yost said. “Her brilliant legal mind and masterful understanding of constitutional law make her the obvious choice to lead the team as Ohio’s solicitor general,” he noted.

Dot!

However, the past few days have not been all champagne and cheers for Mathura. Soon after her appointment, several online users slammed her selection. Racist comments were thrown on her. They said she should not be named to the post.

The reason? A tiny bindi dotting her forehead.

Critics questioned her American identity. Why should someone of Indian heritage hold a high-ranking legal position, they asked. Why does a “non-US” individual get selected for the role, they queried.

Mathura currently serves as Deputy Solicitor General and also heads Ohio’s Tenth Amendment Center.

Past performance

The social media trolling continued unabated, notwithstanding the fact that Mathura is an American citizen and has proved her worth in the legal field.

In 2023, Yost appointed her as director of Ohio’s Tenth Amendment Centre, a state-recognised division tasked with defending Ohioans against unlawful federal actions and upholding the separation of powers between state and federal governments.

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Educational qualifications

Mathura earned her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law in 2018. She holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (2013).

She also holds dual Bachelor's degrees from MIT in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and in Economics (2012).

Mathura is also trained in Carnatic music and has performed in Chennai's prestigious December music season. She has been married to Ashwin Suresh since 2015.

Yost defends her

In response to these online trolls, Dave Yost issued a strong statement defending her and highlighted her strong legal record and support from past Solicitors General.

"Mathura is brilliant. She won her argument at SCOTUS last year. Both the SGs she worked under (Flowers & Gaiser) recommended her. I told her when I originally hired her I needed her to argue with me. She does All the time! Excited to promote her. She will serve Ohio well," he wrote.

Stating that Mathura is wrongly being portrayed as a non-American, Yost said, "A few commenters have asserted incorrectly that Mathura is not American. She is a United States citizen, married to a US citizen, and the child of naturalised US citizens."

He added, “If her name or her complexion bothers you, the problem is not with her or her appointment.”