Bangalore, March 22, 2025 – A vibrant in-person meetup and training session kicked off today in Bangalore, hosted by the Indic Oral Culture Group. The event, part of the ambitious "Enriching Indic Oral Culture" project, brought together 15 participants from diverse linguistic communities across India to celebrate and preserve the country’s rich oral traditions.
The initiative, funded by the Wikimedia Foundation, aims to document and safeguard oral cultures—including folklores, folktales, and folksongs—by recording them in video format and sharing them on Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons license. Volunteers from various regions have already contributed a wealth of multilingual content, now accessible to a global audience.
The two-day event, scheduled for March 22 and 23, was inaugurated with Amrit Sufi, the project manager, and Yakshita, the project coordinator, leading the proceedings. Participants gathered to exchange their fieldwork experiences, discuss challenges and solutions, and enhance their skills while fostering a sense of community.
Among the attendees were individuals representing a wide array of languages. Sangram Keshari Senapati shared his work in Odia, while Santhosh Notagar, Hariprasad Shetty, and Reema Jalihal showcased their efforts in Kannada. Kavita Ganesh, Babita Shetty, and Vinoda Rai represented the Tulu language, and Saravanan highlighted Tamil oral traditions. Anusree Shaw and Gayatri Shaw brought insights from Magahi, Joy Sagar Murmu from Santali, and Nayan Jyoti Nath and Bikash Dhingiya from Assamese (Mising). Bharathesha Alasandemajalu contributed to Arya Bhasha, and Dr. Arya Joshi enriched the Marathi segment. Additionally, Nitesh Gill, Tochi Precious, and Sanjeeb Choudhury joined the discussions via video conferencing, ensuring broader participation.
The event promises a blend of storytelling, problem-solving, and skill-building, with participants reflecting on the struggles faced during their fieldwork—such as capturing authentic narratives or overcoming technical hurdles—and the innovative solutions they devised. Organizers emphasized the importance of this collaborative effort in preserving India’s linguistic diversity for future generations.
As the first day unfolded, the meetup underscored the power of collective action in safeguarding cultural heritage. With the second day ahead, participants look forward to deepening their connections and refining their contributions to this meaningful project.
