Kash Gill, who as a boy rose before dawn to pick peaches in the broiling summer sun, has become the first Punjabi American mayor in Yuba City history.

After a 5-0 vote by the City Council, Gill – now the senior vice president of a local bank – was sworn in Tuesday night in a festive ceremony featuring both Bollywood dancing and Bhangra, a traditional Punjabi folk dance.

About 500 friends and relatives from as far away as Canada, along with Indian media, dined on lamb, chicken curry and other Indian dishes to help celebrate the milestone that's been a century in coming.

Freedom-seeking Sikh farmers from Punjab, amazed by the Central Valley's rich soil, began farming in Sutter, Yuba, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties in the late 1800s. They went on to become the biggest peach and prune growers in California.

Today Yuba City's 65,000 residents include about 15,000 Punjabi Americans, said Gill, who arrived from India with his family at the age of 3.

"I'm living the American dream," said Gill, 46. "From going to the U.S. with no money, having a tough life and learning the value of hard work and sharing with others, to becoming a public servant."

He remembers leaving the house at 5 a.m. with his mom, twin brother and two older sisters to pick peaches and prunes. "We'd fill 10 to 12 bins a day at $6 or $7 a bin."

He worked summers during high school, getting promoted to tractor driver then truck driver. He remembers going with his father to get a loan for their first ranch. "They were talking about budgets and financial statements, and I said, this is something I could enjoy."

Gill graduated from Yuba College and California State University, Chico, then became a banker. He's now senior vice president at Butte Community Bank, specializing in agricultural lending.

"My wife, myself and our children also farm peaches, prunes, walnuts and almonds on 100 acres," said Gill, who changes out of his banker's clothes at 5:30 p.m., puts on his jeans and heads into the orchards with his son Rajan, 17, and daughter Preya, 10. His oldest daughter, Harveen, goes to Pepperdine University.

Gill said his roots in California go back four generations. "My grandfather's uncle helped build the Stockton Sikh temple," the region's first.

His family – along with hundreds of other immigrants – were sponsored by Gill's uncle Didar Bains.

Bains, 71, has supported Gill since he first ran for City Council and lost by 58 votes.

"It's a great honor for our family. He worked hard to earn people's hearts, and I think he's going to do a good job," Bains said.

"It proves there's no discrimination against Sikhs," Bains said. "It shows our young people if they want to get involved in politics, there's a chance."

Bains' American-born son Karm Bains, 35, said Gill's mayorship "means a great deal to our community. We've been waiting a long time. It's nice to have somebody who might be able to relate to your issues."

Karm Bains sees a big future for Gill, a Republican. "It's just a stepping stone," he said. "The sky's the limit. Before you know it, we'll have people in the Assembly and Congress."

But first, Gill said, as the $500-a-month mayor he'll try to get levees fixed so his constituents don't have to pay more for flood insurance.

"And we're going to be feeling the crunch to streamline our police and fire departments," he said. "Unemployment is close to double digits, but when spring rolls around they're back working in the orchards."

Gill, who was elected to the City Council four years ago, has a history of public service. He helped get a school bond passed that financed the city's new River Valley High School.

"We are so proud of him, it's the first Punjabi American," said his wife, Neena Gill. "He's worked so hard since he was 3 years old and I guess his hard work paid off."

Call The Bee's Stephen Magagnini, (916) 321-1072. Bee researcher Sheila A. Kern contributed to this report.