It's been just a week since Mohammed Hameeduddin has taken over as the new mayor of Teaneck, N.J., but his story has been covered extensively – from Hyderabad to Israel to Kuala Lumpur.

A Muslim, whose parents emigrated from Hyderabad, he earned five of seven votes at the annual government reorganization meeting July 1, to be appointed mayor of a town with a rising Jewish population.

"I certainly did not expect this to be an international story," Hameeduddin told News India Times. "It is truly a humbling experience."

In a hotly contested and sometimes bitter debate over the mayor's post where he was caught in the crosshairs, Hameeduddin edged out Councilwoman Lizette Parker, the deputy mayor since her election in 2006, who could have become Teaneck's first female African-American mayor.

In an interview outside the Teaneck Municipal Building, Hameeduddin discussed his election, the town he grew up in and also his views on growing up as a Muslim in America.

"Nowhere else is this possible," Hameeduddin, one of only a handful of Muslims to lead cities across the country, told News India Times.

"It is an opportunity to bring two communities together and break down stereotypes that have belittled our nation."

Situated just across the Hudson River from New York City, Teaneck has a population of about 39,000, boasts 15 synagogues and a lot of stores catering to the growing Orthodox Jewish community.

The town, which Hameeduddin describes as "racially diverse and multicultural," also has a significant African-American, Latino and Muslim population and was one of the first places to voluntarily integrate its public schools during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

Hameeduddin describes his election as a step further in realizing the American dream. "Most of us came to this country as economic immigrants," he said. "Now it's time to assimilate politically and be part of the American landscape at a larger scale."

He is of the opinion that his religion is misunderstood and that people have certain perceptions, certain preconceived notions about Islam and about Muslims. But the newly elected mayor feels religion never played a factor in people voting for or against him.

"Everybody wants to have children, give them a better life. Everyone wants the American dream – no matter what caste, creed or color – that is a testament to the town that we live in," he asserted.

In Teaneck since 1981, Hameeduddin has been involved in the local Muslim community. His father, Mohammed Hameeduddin Sr., was a founding member of the Darul-Islah Mosque in Teaneck. He is married to Fazia Pashm.

An entrepreneur working in title insurance, he graduated from Teaneck High School in 1991 and then went on to study Business at Rutgers University.

According to a report in The New York Times, friends called him Mo and he is still fondly remembered for the sleek Champagne-colored Ford Probe he drove.

He first became interested in public life after 9/11, when he decided to speak out about mis-perceptions of Muslim culture. It was Adam Gussen, the deputy mayor and a "lifelong" friend, who first introduced Hameeduddin to town politics by encouraging him to apply to the planning board in 2006, after he expressed disappointment at the problems his mosque was having gaining approval for its expansion plan. After getting involved in the mosque issue, he served on the town planning board from 2006-08 and then on the Town Council.

"Don't always go for the top job, because you really start off at the bottom," Hameeduddin said, elaborating that his first job on the Town Council as the second alternate was so basic that for most part he wasn't even allowed to vote.

The lesson learnt from that experience, Hameeduddin said, is how change happens in America. "You have to come and sit at the table and learn the process. You cannot have someone else do it for you."

Describing the first four years of his political career as unplanned, Hameeduddin said, "I just went where the wind took me." He emphasized that right now his focus is Teaneck, adding, "What I do here for the next two years will shape my political future." He will be up for re-election in 2012. Hameeduddin feels having a personal relationship with his deputy, Parker, is an added advantage. "Teaneck has had the ability to put two people with diverse backgrounds and go through life together," he said. In spite of their friendship, they have political differences. "We have agreed to disagree," Hameeduddin said.

His family has been encouraging and supportive of his choices, he said. "They like that I was elected a councilman, they like that now I am the mayor." What they do not like, Hameeduddin said, is the controversies involved in the job. "Once they understand politics is a contact sport, they will be able to appreciate the job better."

The influx of Indian-American politicians, especially the younger generation, will change the political landscape of the country, he contends; those born and brought up in this country have a different perception and a different point of view.

"They have the ability to challenge the authorities or question them or speak against them, which is absolutely essential in running any government – be it local, state or national."