Bhubaneswar (February 6, 2023): From February 3rd to 5th, the Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar hosted the 'World Odia Language Conference,' showcasing the history and evolution of Odia and Odisha. Among the highlights was the 'Future Dome,' featuring advanced VR displays, Odia fonts, animation-based learning for children, and an awareness camp about Odia Wikipedia.
Since its inception in 2002, Odia Wikipedia has documented Odisha's history, politics, art, culture, cuisine, biographies, and more, thanks to dedicated volunteers. In collaboration with the Odisha Government, numerous government websites and social media handles have been made available in the public domain, enhancing accessibility to information worldwide.
At the conference, Wikipedia volunteers provided insights on open knowledge resources, including Odia Wikipedia, Wikibooks, Wikimedia Commons, and WikiDictionary. Attendees learned about contributing to Wikipedia, receiving informational booklets from the user group. A survey form on Wikipedia-related queries was filled out by visitors, including Arvind Padhi, Secretary of the Handlooms, Textiles, and Handicrafts Department, along with Padma Shri awardee sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik.
Other notable visitors included Electronics and Information Technology Secretary Manoj Mishra, Minister Tusharkanti Behera, Bhadrak MLA Sanjeeb Kumar Mallick, and Pipili MLA Rudra Pratap Maharathy, all appreciating the efforts of the Wikipedia volunteers.
Prominent Wikipedians, including Mritunjay Kar, Jnanaranjan Sahu, Chinmayi Mishra, Shailesh Pattnayak, and Sangram Kesari Senapati, engaged attendees in discussions on Odia Wikipedia. Former contributors like Champakeswar Mohanty, Surath Kumar Padhi, Jagannath Panigrahi, Binayak Mishra, and Pallavi Hota were also present.
Mritunjay Kar emphasized, "Wikipedia is an open encyclopedia providing everyone free access to reliable information. To enrich Odia Wikipedia like its English counterpart, more contributions are needed from everyone."
Sangram Kesari Senapati, founder and editor of Shubhapallava magazine, added, "As everything goes digital, preserving our information digitally is crucial. Just as Wikipedia offers free information, Wikibooks provides access to books like 'Chha Mana Atha Guntha,' 'Odia Bhagabata,' 'Shrimad Bhagavad Gita,' 'Odisha Itihasa,' and 'History of Odia Politics.' Readers can read for free, and authors can donate their books."
The exhibition has been extended for three more days, with the Odia Wikipedia stall continuing to raise awareness among visitors.
