Abbreviation | FSMI |
---|---|
Formation | March 21, 2010 |
Type | Coalition of Organisations |
Purpose | To take free software and its ideology to all computer users and to all sections of society. |
Region served | Indian Union |
President | Prabir Purkayastha |
General Secretary | Kiran Chandra Yarlagada |
Main organ | General Council |
Website | fsmi.in |
Free Software Movement of India (FSMI) is a national coalition of various regional and sectoral free software movements operating in different parts of India. The formation of FSMI was announced in the valedictory function of the National Free Software Conference - 2010 held in Bangalore during 20–21 March 2010.[1] FSMI is a pan Indian level initiative to propagate the ideology of free software and to popularize the usage of the free software. One of the declared aims of the movement is to take Free Software and its ideological implications to computer users “across the digital divide”, to under-privileged sections of society.[2][3]
FSMI differentiates itself from other organisations, forums or user groups in the free software domain by the method of movement building which is primarily grass root and mass movement.[4][5]
Sectoral movements such as Knowledge Commons, Academics Initiative, OSGEO India and the National Consultative Committee of Computer Teachers (NCCCTA) joined the national coalition at the very initial stage itself.
FSMI elects the General Council, Executive Committee, Office Bearers including General Secretary & President in FSMI National Conferences.
The founding conference of FSMI elected a General Council having 69 members, an Executive Committee with 28 members with Joseph Thomas as the founding President and Kiran Chandra Yarlagadda as founding General Secretary. The second national conference named as 4Ccon was held in B.S. Abdur Rahman University, Vandalur, Chennai. Prabir Purkayastha was elected as the President and Kiran Chandra Yarlagadda was re-elected as the General Secretary at the second conference.
FSMI is a pan Indian level initiative to propagate the ideology of free software and to popularize the usage of the free software.[2][6] One of the declared aims of the movement is to take Free Software and its ideological implications to computer users “across the digital divide”, to under-privileged sections of society.[2][3]
A report in the Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi stated that the new organisation was under the tutelage of certain political parties and that it had driven a wedge in the free software movement in India by sidetracking the Free Software Foundation of India (FSFI).[14] The report in Mathrubhumi was criticized by FSMI in another newspaper for not upholding basic journalistic ethics and code of conduct of contacting the FSMI leadership before making allegations.[15] A rejoinder to the report has been published by FSMI.[16] The Mathrubhumi article stated that the general secretary of FSMI, Kiran Chandra was a representative of Novell while the FSFI website showed that he is on the Board of Directors.[17]