Parsippany-Troy Hills township in northern New Jersey, made history, swearing-in an Indian American Mayor – Pulkit Desai – on January 3, 2026, who will now head the largest municipality in Morris County, with a population of around 56,000.
Desai, a US Marine, defeated his rival James Barberio by less than 100 votes in last November’s election. Currently on Mayor Desai’s website, only his photo is displayed and the bio is yet to be uploaded as of January 9.
In the same November 3 election, another Indian American, Diya Patel, was elected as a city council member, as was the 3rd member of the team Matthew Kavanaugh.
Desai, Patel and Kavanaugh unseated the Republicans last November, handing the city to Democrats after 40 years.
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His campaign website- teamparsippany2025.com – shows Desai is a Marine Corps veteran, a cybersecurity leader, and President of Lake Parsippany Property Owner’s Association.
“Pulkit Desai is a problem solver dedicated to making Parsippany a more affordable, sustainable, and prosperous place to live,” the campaign website says, adding, “An immigrant who became a U.S. Citizen and proud veteran of our Armed Forces, Pulkit brings professional expertise and personal passion to the challenges facing our township.”
Introduced to politics through his position as President of the Lake Parsippany Property Owner’s Association, Desai is credited with championing improved infrastructure and transparency in local decision-making. He built a coalition and was elected to lead the Association by his fellow residents.
“Pulkit has worked with all corners of Lake Parsippany to implement solutions for the neighborhood. … Pulkit’s vision centers on safe neighborhoods, budget sanity, affordability, and transparency in your local government. He is committed to restoring trust at Town Hall and serving the residents of the community he’s proud to call home,” says the website.