Milpitas, CA – March 21, 2026: The Bay Area Telugu Association (BATA) successfully hosted its flagship annual Ugadi celebrations on March 21, 2026, in Milpitas, California. The day-long festivities began at 9:00 AM and continued through 10:00 PM, bringing together the Telugu community from across the Bay Area in a vibrant celebration of culture, tradition, and community spirit. Traditional Ugadi pachadi was served at the gathering, symbolizing the essence and key traditions of the festival.
The daytime program featured youth competitions in singing and dance across multiple categories, including Tollywood, classical, and folk. This year marked a significant milestone—the 25th anniversary of BATA’s youth talent competitions. Over 600 young participants showcased their talent, reflecting the strong cultural engagement among the next generation. Due to the overwhelming response from the community, multiple rooms were utilized at the venue to accommodate different categories of competitions, ensuring smooth coordination and enthusiastic participation.
With kids, youth, and adults present throughout the event, the entire venue was colorful and crowded, truly reflecting the lively and festive atmosphere of Ugadi celebrations.
The evening program was a major highlight, themed around the golden era of 1990s Telugu cinema. Performances by tiny kids, youth, and adults captivated the audience, with participation spanning generations—from children as young as five to enthusiastic parents joining in group performances. The cultural presentations beautifully captured the essence of Telugu heritage and the festive spirit of Ugadi. BATA team members worked diligently across various locations to train participants and bring out the best in every performance.
As a grand finale, renowned Tollywood playback singer Anjana Sowmya delivered a mesmerizing musical
performance, rendering beloved Telugu songs that evoked nostalgia and delight.
The event was graced by several distinguished guests, including Abhishek Sharma from the Consulate General of India in San Francisco. In his address, Mr. Sharma commended BATA for its dedicated efforts in preserving and promoting the Telugu language and culture, while nurturing its relevance among younger generations in the Bay Area. Other prominent dignitaries included Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, Fremont City Mayor Raj Salwan, and Milpitas City Mayor Carmen Montano, who joined the celebrations, addressed the gathering, and extended their Ugadi greetings to attendees.
In addition to cultural programming, BATA organized a parallel track focused on immigration topics, featuring local legal experts (Attorneys Navdeep Toor Meamber and Manohar T Reddy) who discussed “Protect Your Status: 2026 Immigration Updates for Professionals and Families”, and Attorneys Kalpana V Peddibhotla and Komey Vishakan discussed on “Home and Belonging: The South Asian Future in America”.
The event received tremendous support from the business community. Sanjiv Gupta CPA was the Grand Sponsor, Realtor Nagaraj Anniah was the “Powered By” sponsor, and the Gold Sponsor was “Srini Goli Real Estates.” Other sponsors included Insta Service, PNG Jewelers, APEX Consulting, Kavya Foods, and Paatasala (Telugu School). Sri’s Kitchen serand ved as the food sponsor.
The event also featured a vibrant exhibition area with numerous vendor booths showcasing clothing, jewelry, fashion, investments, education, and real estate services.
Expressing his gratitude, BATA President Siva K. thanked the attendees, participants, vendors, sponsors, and volunteers for their continued support and contribution to the event’s grand success. He introduced the BATA Executive Committee—Varun, Hari S., Sandeep K., and Sanketh. The Cultural Committee includes Sridevi Pasupuleti, Srilu Veligeti, Sirisha Battula, Taraka Deepti, and Kiran Vinnakota. The Logistics Team includes Suresh Sivapuram, Ravi Pochiraju, Harish Inampudi, and Sudhakar Bairy. The Youth Committee includes Uday, Gowthami, and Sindhu. The Art & Design Committee includes Kalyani, Krishna Priya, Deepthi, and Shravanti. The Steering Committee consists of Ravi Thiruveedula, Kamesh Malla, Yashwant Kudaravalli, and Sumanth Pusuluri. The BATA Advisory Board—Jayaram Komati, Vijaya Aasuri, Veeru Vuppala, Prasad Mangina, Karun Veligeti, Ramesh Konda, Kalyan Kattamuri, and Harinath Chikoti—congratulated the team on making the event a grand success.
The Ugadi 2026 celebration stood as a testament to the unity, cultural pride, and enduring traditions of the Telugu community in the Bay Area.
