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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 5 CITY VIEWS February 27, 2026 Raj Goyle’s Race For NY State Comptroller Gets Boost From Community Leader Ali Najmi’s Endorsement A li Najmi, an attorney, who is con- sidered a prominent South Asian and Muslim community leader and top political advisor and longtime inner circle confidant to NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, announced his endorsement of Raj Goyle for NewYork State Comptroller Feb. 18, 2026. Goyle is challenging long-time incumbent Comp- troller Thomas DiNapoli. Credited with playing a key role in Mamdani’s victory, Najmi was appointed January 2, as Chair of the newly revital- ized Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. Najmi and Goyle have been politically aligned since 2015, when Goyle supported Najmi’s unsuccessful run for NewYork City Council in District 23. That race was also Mamdani’s first engagement with NewYork City politics. “Najmi’s support signals a consoli- dation of the South Asian progressive movement, bridging the gap between the insurgent energy of the Legislature and City and now carrying momentum to Albany,” Goyle’s campaign contends. “Building a grassroots political move- ment for over a decade and helping Zohran Mamdani become mayor showed me how values-driven leadership can move policy forward, but serious change statewide requires a Comptroller with the right values and vision,” Najmi is quoted saying in the press release. “Raj Goyle helped me in 2015 when few were paying attention to our community’s potential—a campaign that also activated Zohran’s own journey into NYC politics. Raj has always organized and moved our community for- ward and strengthened our voices in the halls of power. Now, we need that same fighter’s spirit in the Comptroller’s office to ensure our tax dollars aren’t being used to fund the surveillance and deportation of our own neighbors.” Goyle’s campaign has highlighted trans- parency in state finances, tackling the affordability, and long-term fiscal respon- sibility as core pillars of his campaign. “This responsibility includes fiduciary duty-driven investments while aligning with NewYork’s values, including divest- ing the incumbent’s portfolio of foreign bonds, fossil fuels, and any company aiding Trump’s ICE deportation machine, including a nearly half-billion-dollar stake in Palantir,” the campaign emphasized. “Ali Najmi and I have been in the trenches together fighting for our com- munities and working families for over a decade,” Goyle said. “He saw the potential for South Asian political power in New York long before the establishment did. I am honored to have his support as we move from fighting for a seat at the table to ensuring that the table itself is account- able to the people. While Tom DiNapoli actively invests in Trump’s terror on New Yorkers, chases risky foreign bonds fund- ing Netanyahu’s war crimes, and refuses to tackle rising utility rates, we’ll focus on working-class NewYorkers.” Goyle is the founder of Phone Free NewYork and the former board chair of the NYC-based public policy think tank 5BORO Institute. A former Kansas State legislator, Goyle was one of the first Indian Americans elected to office in the country and flipped one of the reddest districts in the country. He worked as a civil rights lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union and was CEO and co-founder of the technology company Bodhala which was acquired in 2021. He lives in NewYork City with his wife, two teenage daughters, mother, and mother-in-law. Najmi was born and raised in NewYork and established an eponymous law prac- tice (Najmilaw) in Downtown Manhattan. A civil rights and criminal justice attorney, Najmi began his career in law in 2009 when he was recruited to join the New York City Council as the Legislative Direc- tor to a NewYork City Council Member. He helped author legislation protecting civil rights and religious freedom dur- ing his time at the City Council, notes his biography on najmilaw.com . By a StaffWriter PHOTO:NAJMILAW.COM PHOTO:X.COM @RAJGOYLE Ali Najmi Raj Goyle, candidate for NY State Comptroller in 2026. Dr. Rajan Thapaliya Named Asst. Dean Of Computer Science, Cybersecurity & IT At The University Of Fairfax T he University of Fairfax has ap- pointed Dr. Rajan Thapaliya as Asst. Dean of Computer Science, Cybersecurity & Information echnology. He began in his new position starting Feb. 15, 2026. Dr. Rajan Thapaliya is a distinguished academic leader, award-winning pro- fessor, and a leading voice in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Computer Science, known for his exceptional record of academic leadership and impact, the University said in its news release avail- able on the website at ufairfax.edu . Prior to joining University of Fairfax, Dr. Thapaliya served as Program Chair for the doctoral-level (DBA) program in Digital and Computer Science at Golden Gate University (GGUWorldwide). He was recognized among the Top 20 Machine Learning Influencers in the United States by Influencer Hero. As a professor, Dr. Thapaliya has taught MS- and PhD-level courses in Data Sci- ence, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, and Information Technology at universities across the United States. He also serves as a PhD Dissertation Chair and an SME, guiding doctoral candidates in advanced, interdisciplinary research in cutting-edge technology areas. Dr. Tha- paliya also serves as an academic editor and peer reviewer for multiple journals and publishing platforms, the news re- lease said. Dr. Thapaliya earned both his Master’s degree and PhD in Data Science from National University of California. He also holds a Masters in Business Administra- tion degree as well as one in Masters of Public Health. Beyond academia, Dr. Thapaliya has served as a Subject Matter Expert in the Engineering and Technology Department at Prometric, a globally recognized assess- ment organization, and has held roles as a Director of Data Science, Senior Consul- tant, and senior-level manager and chair across diverse organizations. “Dr. Rajan Thapaliya’s blend of execu- tive leadership, teaching excellence, and educational innovation is expected to contribute significantly to the University of Fairfax’s mission and long-term suc- cess,” the news release said. “Dr. Thapaliya defines leadership as serving others through vision, integrity, and continuous improvement, while empowering students and faculty to achieve excellence through collaboration, innovation, and lifelong learning,” it added. He is committed to advancing career-focused education that prepares learners for success in today’s rapidly evolving digital economy, the University said. His expertise and areas of interest include: Generative AI, Software Design & Architecture, DevOps & Deployment, Data engineering and architect, Blockchain and Cryptography, Deep Learning and Natural Language Processing, Machine learning, Artificial intelligence (AI), Web Automa- tion/Web3, Text mining and Data mining, Big data, Predictive models, Data Science Strategies, Cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), Risk Management, Business intelligence (BI), Computer forensics, Neural network, Database Management Systems, Networking and Internet Archi- tecture, Web scraping and Robotics AI. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:UFAIRFAX.EDU Dr. Rajan Thapaliya