LOS ANGELES, CA: He started his career bagging groceries during his high school days, and 20 years later, he owns nine independent grocery stores throughout the Southland. But his career didn't stop there. He took a turn for the better and is now the Planning Commissioner for the City of Cerritos.

FREMONT: The Bay Area Telugu Association (BATA) organized the Sixth Annual Ugadi Telugu Mela and Youth Talent Show on March 24 at Sunnyvale Temple Community Center, celebrating the "sarvajit nama samvatsaram."

ANAHEIM, CA: Prominent Indo-American community members gathered in support of Councilman Harry Sidhu's campaign for the 33rd State Senate District seat at a fundraising dinner hosted by Dr Birinder Sahai on Sunday, March 25.

FREMONT: Telugu Association of North America(TANA) an organization of people of Telugu origin residing in North America, conducted elections to elect the new committee for years 2007 to 2009.

ARTESIA: South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency (Sahara) has been in the forefront of battles against domestic violence with special focus on the needs of the victims/ survivors of this ordeal

Los Angeles, CA: The Ackerman Plaza at the UCLA campus was packed to capacity on March 25. Sankara Eye Foundation hosted a concert by the maestro Padmashri Hariharan. The show was to raise funds and awareness of the foundation and the good work they do in India by bringing light into the dark lives of people.

RIVERSIDE: "Ugadi comes from two words. Adi meaning beginning and Yuga meaning a cycle," explained Head Priest Dr Shukavak Dasa during the introduction he gave Sunday, March 25 in Riverside's Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir. "This festival marks the beginning of the new year in certain states of Southern India and the cultural program we are about to see will allow us to experience different rasas or tastes and flavors of those places."

LOS ANGELES: Friends of Pakistan have decided to build one engineering university in Pakistan as a gift from Pakistani-Americans to Pakistani people. This was announced by Sarfaraz Khan, President of Friends of Pakistan, USA on March 23 Pakistan Day event which was held at Shahnawaz banquet hall in Lakewood, CA.

FREMONT: The City of Fremont Human Services Department has received a grant award of $300,000 from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care.

LOS ANGELES: For the first time in Los Angeles, performances of Yoni ki Baat were held on March 24 and 25 at The Center for the Preservation of Democracy in downtown LA.