Mathura Sridharan, an Indian-American attorney with a strong background in law and public service, has been appointed as Ohio’s 12th Solicitor General. While her professional qualifications have earned her accolades in legal circles, her appointment sparked controversy online—largely due to her Indian heritage and the visible presence of a bindi, a traditional forehead adornment.
Numerous social media users took issue with her appearance, with some suggesting her cultural identity made her unfit for a public office. Comments ranged from questioning her religion—assuming she was not Christian—to false claims about her loyalty to the United States. One particularly pointed remark questioned, “Why would you select someone who isn’t American for such an important role?”
In response, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost came forward in strong defense of Sridharan. In a public post, Yost emphasized that she is an American citizen, married to a fellow American, and the child of naturalized U.S. citizens. He added, “If her name or her complexion bother you, the problem is not with her or her appointment.”
Yost also praised her exceptional legal acumen, highlighting her performance at the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) in the case Ohio v. EPA, where she represented multiple states in a major challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s cross-state pollution rules. He further noted that both former Solicitors General—Benjamin Flowers and Mathura Gaiser—recommended her for the role.
Sridharan previously served as Deputy Solicitor General in Ohio, where she earned a reputation for meticulous legal reasoning. Her academic credentials are equally impressive: she holds a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law and dual degrees in Economics and Electrical Engineering & Computer Science from MIT, where she also earned a Master’s degree in Engineering.
Before entering state service, she clerked for Judge Steven Menashi on the U.S. Court of Appeals (Second Circuit) and Judge Deborah Batts of the Southern District of New York.
The backlash over Sridharan’s bindi has reignited discussions about cultural expression, identity, and patriotism in American public life. However, her defenders argue that such criticism is rooted in prejudice, not principle—and her presence in one of Ohio’s highest legal offices is a testament to merit, not ethnicity.
