Indian-origin lawyer named Ohio’s new solicitor general

New York: Indian-origin lawyer Mathura Sridharan has been named Ohio’s 12th solicitor general, the state’s top attorney for appeals in state and federal courts.

Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement last week that he proudly selected Sridharan for the role following the departure of her predecessor, Elliot Gaiser, who President Donald Trump tapped to lead the US Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel.

“Mathura is a relentless defender of Ohioans, a champion of federalism and 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.”

Housed within the Attorney General’s Office, the Office of the Solicitor General represents the state and its agencies on appeals in the US Supreme Court, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other state and federal courts.

“It is an honour and a privilege to stand up for the rights and freedoms of my fellow Ohioans,” Sridharan said.

“I am profoundly grateful for the trust Attorney General Yost has placed in me to defend our constitutional ideals, advance the rule of law and fight for our federalist system of government.”

However, soon after her appointment, several online users slammed her selection, with some directing racist comments on her, including for her wearing a bindi.

They said she should not be named to the post.

“The only thing "Mathura Sridharan" should be selected for is a one-way ticket to India,” one online user said.

Another said, “Why would you select someone who isn't an American for such an important role?” “Do they have anyone in Ohio who doesn’t look like an ad for the H1B visa programme?” Another said.

Some online users targeted her for wearing a bindi. “Dot on forehead," one user said. “This one has a perma-dot, huh," another said.

An online user asked if authorities could not find a citizen and native of the United States for the job? “Nothing says "Ohioan" like a dot right on the forehead," another remarked.

Since joining the office nearly four years ago, Sridharan has briefed and argued numerous appeals.

In 2023, Yost named her director of Ohio’s Tenth Amendment Centre, a division of the office codified in state law to defend Ohioans against unlawful federal policies and to preserve separation of powers between state and federal government.

Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Sridharan clerked for Judge Steven J. Menashi of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Judge Deborah A Batts of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.

She earned her law degree in 2018 from the New York University School of Law. She also holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science, as well as a bachelor’s degree in economics, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.