Wikimedia in India refers to all the Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects which are of special interest to people in India or interested in topics relating to India.

Content in languages of India

Wikipedia has different versions for various languages in India. These language Wikipedia versions have their own culture and history of development.

Hindi and English language versions are the most popular in India.[1]

The Wikimedia chapter in India organized the Wikimedia community to establish Santhali language Wikipedia in August 2018.[2] This was part of an effort to feature a tribal language.[2]

Google advises Wikipedia and suggests topics on which Wikimedia community volunteers should write articles, based on the most frequent Google search terms.[3]

In September 2019 the Ministry of Science and Technology expressed an intent to promote the development of Hindi language Wikipedia articles on sciences.[4]

Health experts have collaborated with Wikipedia editors to share information about vaccines in local language.[5]

Readers of various languages have differing interests. For example, in 2019 "Shivaji" was the most popular article in Marathi Wikipedia,[6] "Guru Granth Sahib" was the most popular in Punjabi,[6] and "vagina" was the most popular in Bhojpuri.[7] Wikipedia articles are sometimes the targets of political debate.[8] Articles where there have been discussions and controversy include, "2020 Delhi riots" and "Jai Shri Ram".[8]

Wikimedia community organization in India

WikiConference India is a Wikipedia conference first hosted in India in 2011.[9]

In 2004 Wikimedia editors in India began planning a regional organization, Wikimedia India.[10] Organizers drafted by-laws in 2007, and in 2008 convened meetings with the assistance of the Centre for Internet and Society.[10] The organization was founded in July 2009 as the 29th Wikimedia chapter.[10]

A magazine editor named Sangram Keshari Senapati was praised for his development of Odia Wikipedia.[11][12]

The Wikipedia in Education Programme (WEP) started in 2013 at various colleges.[13] In 2011, students at colleges and universities in Pune were recognized for participating in a Wikipedia education project.[14][15] In 2020, participants in the WEP were developing content in Tulu.[13]

In 2020, the volunteer Wikipedia community had been funding the majority of Wiki community activities in India.[13]

The Karavali Wikimedia community described that they edit among English, Kannada, the Tulu, and the Konkani Wikipedia language versions.[16] They edit on topics including health and women's interest.[16]

Wikimedia Foundation engagement in India

Ektara, a 2018 Wikimedia Foundation, Hindi language, mass media advertisement[17]

Google sponsored Project Tiger, which was a program to develop Wikipedia content in languages of India.[18][3] Google provided Chromebooks, while the Wikimedia Foundation offers stipends for an internet connection.[3] Some volunteers balked at the list of subjects provided by Google – mostly topics trending on Google, which some volunteers found irrelevant.[3] Later, a local list was provided.[3]

The Wikimedia Foundation runs fundraising campaigns asking Indian people to donate.[19] One news source described that request for money as awkwardly emotional.[20]

In 2011 the Wikimedia Foundation opened a branch office in India.[21] One of the goals of establishing an office there was to increase regional fundraising.[22][23]

Indian government and Wikipedia

The Indian government regulates websites including Wikipedia with the Information Technology Rules, 2021.[24][25] As those rules were being drafted in 2020, some news sources speculated that Wikipedia was not in compliance with those rules.[24]

References

  1. ^ Sibal, Sidhant (24 August 2022). "EXCLUSIVE - Wikipedia founder sees enormous potential in India; brushes aside Elon Musk's criticism". wionews.com. WION. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b Bhattacharya, Snigdhendu (9 August 2018). "Santhali becomes India's first tribal language to get own Wikipedia edition". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 22 February 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e S, Ribhu (3 June 2019). "Can Wikipedia Overcome Gender Gap As It Looks To Translate Articles In Indian Languages?". Inc42 Media. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  4. ^ Koshy, Jacob (12 September 2019). "Science Ministry to go on a Hindi Wikipedia blitz". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 12 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  5. ^ Surya, Jisha (22 October 2016). "Antidote for a stigma". Times of India Blog. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  6. ^ a b Sukumar, Tanay (15 August 2020). "Shivaji Maharaj top page on Marathi Wikipedia, Guru Granth Sahib on Punjabi". Livemint. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  7. ^ Yadav, Jyoti (29 August 2020). "'Vagina' is top search on Bhojpuri Wikipedia, bringing vulgar songs back under scanner". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  8. ^ a b Benjakob, Omer (5 November 2020). "A vicious culture war is tearing through Wikipedia". Wired UK. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  9. ^ IANS (9 November 2011). "Mumbai to host first WikiConference in India". India Current Affairs. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  10. ^ a b c Gautam, John (2011). "Wikipedia in India: Past, Present, Future". In Lovink, Geert; Tkacz, Nathaniel (eds.). Critical point of view : a Wikipedia reader. Institute of Network Cultures. pp. 283–287. ISBN 978-90-78146-13-1.
  11. ^ Odadmin (25 August 2019). "Odia guy made a record by writing articles on Wikipedia". Odisha Diary. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  12. ^ "Sangram sets world record". OrissaPost. Bhadrak. 30 July 2019. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  13. ^ a b c Sadu, Charan (6 September 2020). "Building Wikipedia, in Kannada and Tulu". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  14. ^ Arya, Aayush (22 August 2011). "Students in Pune, India to edit Wikipedia as part of college course". The Next Web. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  15. ^ DNA Correspondent (22 August 2011). "College of Engineering Pune students to co-author Wikipedia-India". Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  16. ^ a b special correspondent (24 January 2021). "'Write for Wikipedia with India focus'". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  17. ^ Gill, Satdeep; McCune, Zach (3 April 2018). "How we're building awareness of Wikipedia in India – Wikimedia Blog". Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  18. ^ Matsakis, Louise (22 January 2019). "Google Gives Wikimedia Millions—Plus Machine Learning Tools". Wired. Archived from the original on 9 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  19. ^ DNA Web Team (29 August 2019). "Why Wikipedia - a million dollar company is asking users in India to donate?". DNA India. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  20. ^ News18.com (28 August 2019). "Wikipedia is Asking Indian Users to Contribute Money in Awkwardly Emotional Pitch". News18. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Raval, Noopur (July 2014). Fotopoulou, Aristea; O’Riordan, Kate; Juhasz, Alex (eds.). "The Encyclopedia Must Fail! – Notes on Queering Wikipedia". Ada: A Journal of Gender, New Media, and Technology (5). doi:10.7264/N37W69GC. ISSN 2325-0496. Archived from the original on 2019-10-14. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  22. ^ Linsell, Katie (November 2, 2011). "Wikipedia India Office Will Help Boost Fundraising, Founder Says". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on 2016-03-16. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  23. ^ Sajan, Kiran Tom (10 October 2011). "Shiju Alex in Wikipedia India core team". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 17 December 2011.
  24. ^ a b Sheth, Hemani (26 February 2020). "Indian users may lose access to Wikipedia in light of new internet rules: Report". Business Line. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  25. ^ Dash, Sanchita (25 February 2020). "Wikipedia says it may not be accessible in India if government pushes through new internet rules". Business Insider. Insider Inc. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
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