NEW YORK: South Asian Women's Leadership Forum (SAWLF) is organizing its annual Congress on Saturday, March 15. A SAWLF press release says, "Through the annual Congress, SAWLF is committed to providing women entrepreneurs and professionals a forum in which to interact and learn from successful business and community leaders.

MINNESOTA: Sri Lanka Friendship Foundation hosted an evening with world renowned state dance troupe (Lanka Ranga- Dance and Rhythms of Sri Lanka) from Sri Lanka last week. It performed dances from all the three geographical areas for Sri Lanka- the central highlands, southern lowlands and southern highlands.

ARTESIA: If there was a grand Republic Day Celebration here in Southland, then this was it. The So Cal FIA led by Dilip Butani (President) and Prakash Pancholi (Chairman) along with FIA (Los Angeles) led by Mohan Sharma

LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles is all set to welcome Yogi Ramdev, when he arrives this July to conduct a five-day yoga camp in the City of Angels. The camp will be held July 9 thru July 13 from 6 am to 8.30 pm in Hall B of the Anaheim Convention Center. The Anaheim Convention Center is located at 800 W Katella Avenue.

LOS ANGELES: Public Broadcasting System (PBS) has produced a documentary on the Sikh community to educate mainstream America about the Sikh community their culture, religion and way of life. Often mistaken for others, the Sikhs bore the brunt of the post 9/11 racial attacks.

RIVERSIDE: Devotees arrived at Riverside's Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Sunday dressed in yellow to celebrate Vasant Panchami. This festival marks the first day of spring and the word Vasant means spring. It is called panchami (five) because the festival falls on the fifth day of Magh Shukla. On this day boys would teasingly call a girl attired in yellow - Basanti!

ARTESIA: Ker Little India opened for business in October last year. Spread over an area of over 6,000 sq. ft, it is the largest Indian grocery store in Artesia with a focus on Indian grocery, fresh produce and vegetarian food from its own cafe/deli.

While watching one of the Indian channels on TV, I came across a very interesting advertisement put forth by an insurance company. The advertisement highlighted the progress

I ask my American born daugh- ter about Indian holidays and she rattles off the whole calendar of events from Lohri to Holi to 15th August to Diwali with ease. Her list is extensive and complete.