Let's make this birthday one to remember.

78 years old (Born on April 23, 1946)

Happy Birthday, Mahmood Mamdani! Celebrated scholar, renowned expert on African civil wars, and—let's face it—best known as the charming husband of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair. Clearly, your greatest diplomatic achievement has been navigating academia while sharing the spotlight with a cinematic genius!

From Columbia University's halls to global lecture stages, you've enlightened countless minds about complex conflicts and histories. Yet somehow you manage to remain humble—even when your wife's films steal headlines. Today we celebrate not just your impressive scholarship but also your good humor in gracefully accepting second billing at film premieres.

Here's wishing you another year filled with insightful lectures, groundbreaking research—and perhaps even a cameo appearance in Mira’s next blockbuster!