Bhubaneswar, 24th October 2024 – A transformative Wikipedia Train-the-Trainer (TTT) workshop, which aimed to promote knowledge sharing in Indian languages through Wikipedia, took place in Bhubaneswar from 18th to 20th October. This national-level event, organized by the Bangalore-based Access to Knowledge (CIS-A2K) in collaboration with the Odia Wikimedians User Group (ODW), brought together over 35 participants from various parts of India.
Now in its ninth edition, the workshop serves as a pivotal gathering for contributors across 25 Indian language-Wikipedias, including Odia, Santali, Assamese, Punjabi, Tamil, and several others. It seeks to enhance local language content, thereby ensuring broader access to information.
Participants kicked off the workshop with a visit to the Kalabhumi Museum, where they engaged with Odisha's rich cultural heritage. This cultural immersion was followed by intensive training sessions at the Hindustan International Hotel, focusing on techniques for documenting and effectively sharing information on various topics in native languages.
The sessions emphasised practical skills, such as translating historical texts and utilizing digital tools to make knowledge accessible. The trainers highlighted the critical role of voluntary contributions, encouraging participants to leverage their linguistic expertise to enrich Wikipedia's vast knowledge repository.
CIS-A2K's Tanveer Hasan and Pavan Santhosh, played key roles in guiding discussions, while experienced Odia Wikimedians like Mrutyunjay Kar, Jnanaranjan Sahu and Chinmayee Mishra shared insights into local projects. Their contributions underscored the community's commitment to advancing Odia Wikipedia and celebrating the efforts of seasoned contributors.
The workshop concluded with a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Odia Wikisource, where participants recognised the newly appointed admin, Sangram Keshari Senapati. This milestone not only highlighted the growth of this Odia digital library but also reinforced the ongoing dedication to preserving and promoting Indian language texts.
