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Appointed Ohio’s Solicitor General
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Attorney General Dave Yost defends Indian-origin lawyer, slams critics questioning her citizenship
Indian-American legal expert Mathura Sridharan has been named Ohio’s 12th Solicitor General, becoming the state’s top appellate lawyer. The announcement was made by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office on X (formerly Twitter), where Sridharan was praised for her brilliance and track record. However, her appointment triggered a wave of online hate, with trolls making xenophobic and racist remarks, even questioning her US citizenship and mocking her appearance, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
“If her name or her complexion bothers you, the problem is not with her,” says Ohio AG
After the announcement, several users on X targeted Sridharan for her Indian heritage, with one writing, “Couldn’t find a citizen and native of the United States for the job?” Another user posted: “This one has a perma-dot, huh.” Comments also questioned her eligibility, saying: “What’s the dot on her forehead?” and “No Americans were available?”
In response, Attorney General Dave Yost firmly defended Sridharan. “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,” Yost posted. He added, “Mathura is brilliant… she won her argument at SCOTUS last year… Excited to promote her. She will serve Ohio well.”
Currently, Sridharan serves as Deputy Solicitor General and heads Ohio’s Tenth Amendment Centre. Her academic credentials include a Juris Doctor (JD) from New York University School of Law (2018), a Master’s in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, and dual Bachelor’s degrees in EECS and Economics from MIT. She previously clerked for Judge Steven J. Menashi (Second Circuit Court of Appeals) and Judge Deborah A. Batts (Southern District of New York).
