Apart from the everlasting enslavement to Google, another website that netizens cannot do without is Wikipedia, the free online encyclopaedia that allows users across the world to post entries and carry out edits on the articles posted on the site. Right from challenging and getting your facts checked in a bet with friends, to getting last-minute nuggets of information before a research paper, Wiki is the go-to resource. Didn’t ‘Lungi dance’ in Chennai Express , have the lines urging you to read up about thalaiva on Wikipedia? The resource is also used to check the authenticity of information and wild rumours that inundate the net at regular intervals. Being the tech capital of the country, Bangalore leads the way as far as wikipedians in India are concerned. Metroplus talks to a few prominent wiki contributors for the lowdown on how they joined and participated in the wiki movement.
K.Ravichander
IT professional
There were many Wikipedians in Bangalore. Some of us were born and brought up in Bangalore while many others made it home since our jobs were based in the city. The Centre for Internet and Society based in Bangalore helped us organise various wiki meet-ups that helped build relationships and extend the wiki community online. I contributed articles on South Indian history, politics and culture.
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I used to debate regularly in Orkut communities and found people referring to Wikipedia articles to prove their point. That’s how I first came across Wikipedia. It was in September 2006 that I started to write for Wikipedia and I have spent many years as a Wikipedia editor.
From my childhood, I've always loved to write and Wikipedia gave me an opportunity to be read. For a good Wikipedian, all you need is passion and perseverance. Common folk like me could write for Wikipedia, interact with other Wikipedians, some of whom were experts in the field and gain expertise ourselves. It has been a fulfilling experience
Ramesh NG
IT professional
I have been active in Malayalam Wikipedia (ml wiki) since 2008. I have made some 16K + edits in ml wiki.
I learnt about ml wiki from blogs and friends, I started with making some minor edits in 2006 but became active only in 2008 after I discovered new tools that made it easy to work in Malayalam.
Tinu Cherian
PR and digital media consultant
I am one of the most active Wikipedians in India and one of top six Indian editors on English Wikipedia by number of edits.
I am one of very few Indian administrators on English Wikipedia and have over 53,000 edits. I have started more than 2,000 articles.
I am very passionate of building Wiki communities in India and have been very successful in starting various Wikimeetups across the country. I am a member of Wikimedia Foundation Communication Committee and have worked as a volunteer for media relations for Wikimedia for more than six years. I have represented India in various Wikimania and Wikimedia Conferences in Poland, Germany, Israel and Hong Kong. Bangalore has a large Wikipedia community Almost till a year and half ago, we used to have regular Wikimeetups in Bangalore.
It is great that apart from English Wikipedia, there are 20 other Indian language Wikipedias and another 20 are in incubation.