Community Resources and Partnerships/India Conference Project/Hindi Wikipedia Conference 2026
Applicant information
[edit]- A. You are applying as a(n)
- B. Full name of organization presenting the proposal.
Hindi Wikimedians User Group
- F1. Provide your main Wikimedia Username.
अनिरुद्ध कुमार
- F2. Provide the Usernames of people related to this proposal.
अजीत कुमार तिवारी
- G. Are you legally registered?
No
Objectives and Strategy
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal.
- 2.1. When will the event begin? Please enter the event start date.
2026-08-07
- 2.2. When is the last day of your event?
2026-08-09
- 3.1. When will you begin preparing for your event?
2026-05-01T00:00:00Z
- 3.2. When will you expect to complete your last event payment?
2026-10-30T00:00:00Z
- 4. In which country will the conference take place?
India
- 4.1. In which city will the conference take place?
New Dehli
- 5. Is it a remote or in-person event?
In-person only event
- 5.1. What will be the total number of participants at the event? (including scholarship recipients + organizing team + other guests + self funded guests) (required)
40
- 6. Please indicate whether your work will be focused on one country (local), more than one or several countries in your region (regional) or has a cross-regional (global) scope.
Local
- 6.1. If you have answered regional, please write the country names and any other information that is useful for understanding your proposal.
- 7. If you would like, please share any websites or social media accounts that your group or organization has.
hi.wikimedia.org
- 8. Do you work with any thematic or regional platforms such as WISCom, CEE, Iberocoop, etc.
No
- 8.1. Please describe what platforms and your work with them.
- 9. Please describe the target participants for this event.
1. Local Audience from new delhi (without felloship) : Newcomers & StudentsDescription: Undergraduate and postgraduate students from Hindi literature, Journalism, and Humanities departments.
Characteristics: Individuals with a high level of proficiency in the Hindi language (typing and grammar) but minimal previous experience with Wikimedia projects.
Goal: To convert their academic expertise into encyclopedic content,.
2. Hindi Wikipedia Community Members & MentorsDescription from whole India (with felloship) : Existing editors from the Hindi Wikipedia community and user groups.
Characteristics: Experienced Wikimedians with 12+ months of active editing history.
Goal: To serve as "Table Mentors," providing 1-on-1 support to newcomers during the hands-on editing session.
- 9.1. If your project includes in-person activities, are there any international participants travelling to India for them? (required)
- No
- 9.1.1. List all countries of participation. (required)
N/A
- 9.2. Will the project be transferring funds to any international participants? (required)
- No
- 9.3.1. List all international participants receiving funding and their countries. (required)
N/A
- 10. Please provide the link to the event's page if you already have one.
The following questions (11-14) will refer to the Community Engagement Survey which is required in order to submit a proposal. Here is the survey form that you can copy and use (if the link does not work): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ieEI8EFf2vxjD9wN_h8-srYeRCp4fhSp7_1_wiR2jh8/edit. This survey is required to access a Conference project.
- 11. How many people did you send the community engagement survey to?
25
- 11.1. When did you conduct the survey, and for how long?
I have conducted the survey between 26 January to 28 February.
- 12. How many people responded to the survey?
37
- 13. What are the main objectives of the event?
1. Policy discussion: discussion on AI policy, Translation Policy and User Group policy for hindi wikipedians. Policy Awareness for newcomers on the "Five Pillars of Wikipedia," specifically focusing on Neutral Point of View (NPOV) and avoiding No Original Research
2. Technical Skills: To train participants in using the Visual Editor, adding Infoboxes, and navigating the Wikimedia Commons for media uploads. simple editing tools traning for new editors and complex editing for experienced editors.
3. Comunity building and Editor Retention: To onboard at least 20new contributors who will continue to edit post-event.
4. Leadership Development: To provide experienced Hindi Wikimedians with an opportunity to lead tracks, helping them transition from editors to community organizers.
5. Strategic Alignment: To align with the goal of Knowledge Equity by empowering Hindi-speaking communities to document their own heritage in their native language, rather than relying on translations from the English Wikipedia.Gender Gap: adress the gender gap isue.
- 14. Based on survey responses, what are the most important things your community should do at the conference to achieve these objectives?
To ensure the workshop results in high-quality content and a more resilient community, our team will focus on the following four core activities:
1. "Edit-a-thon" with Curated Task Lists: The most critical activity is the live editing session. Instead of letting participants choose random topics, we will provide a pre-curated "Task List" in Hindi. This list will include 50+ "red links" (missing articles) and stubs related to local history, geography, and literature. This reduces "blank page syndrome" and ensures that the objectives of filling content gaps are met immediately.
2. Mentorship-Based "Table Lead" System: We will implement a 1:5 mentor-to-participant ratio by assigning experienced Hindi editors as "Table Leads." Each experienced editor will sit with a small group of newcomers to provide real-time feedback on their edits. This personal connection is the most effective way to help newcomers overcome the technical hurdles of the Visual Editor and ensure they follow the Neutral Point of View (NPOV) policy from day one.3. Dedicated Proofreading & Wikisource Track: Recognizing that Hindi Wikipedia thrives when it has high-quality references, we will conduct a parallel session on Hindi Wikisource. Participants will be trained to proofread digitized Hindi public-domain books. This builds a "source library" that can be used to cite and verify facts on the main Hindi Wikipedia, directly achieving our objective of quality control and verifiability.4. Interactive "Conflict & Policy" Roleplay: we will hold a short, interactive session on community health. We will simulate common scenarios like "reverted edits" or "talk page discussions" and teach participants how to respond constructively. This prepares newcomers for the social aspect of Wikipedia, which is crucial for long-term editor retention.
- 15. Please state if your proposal aims to work to bridge any of the identified CONTENT knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select up to THREE that most apply to your work.
Content Gender gap, Geography, Language, Important Topics (topics considered to be of impact or important in the specific context)
- 15.1. In a few sentences, explain how your work is specifically addressing this content gap (or Knowledge inequity) to ensure a greater representation of knowledge. (optional recommended).
Our work addresses knowledge inequity by target specific gaps through the following strategies: 1. Woman leaders and student participation for Gender Gap: We are specifically organizing tracks inspired by "Women in Red" to create biographies of notable Hindi-speaking women in fields like literature, social reform, and local politics. By inviting women-led organizations and female students, we ensure that the creators of this content reflect the subjects, leading to a more nuanced and representative history. 2. maximum state representation for Geography and Local Heritage: Most Hindi Wikipedia content currently focuses on major urban centers. Our project addresses geographical inequity by creating a "state Level Task Force." We encourage participants to document the history, monuments, and folk traditions of their own rural or semi-urban regions, which are often ignored by mainstream digital sources. 3. Language representation for local and Indigenous Topics: We prioritize original research-based content (verified through offline books and local archives) rather than simple translations from English. This ensures that Hindi Wikipedia acts as a primary source for cultural concepts—such as traditional Hindi poetic forms or local agricultural practices—that do not have an equivalent in the English-language edition. 4. Edit-a-thone for Important Under-represented Topics: We have identified specific categories like math, Physics, Chemistry, medecine, Rural Health, Folk Arts, and Local Governance that are currently under-served. By partnering with external subject matter experts, we are moving away from "popular culture" topics toward information that provides actual utility to Hindi-speaking rural populations.
- 16. Please state if your proposal includes any of these areas or THEMATIC focus. Select up to THREE that most apply to your work and explain the rationale for identifying these themes.
Education, Diversity, Open Technology
- 17. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities?
Gender Identity, Disabilities
- 18. Do you intend to invite or engage with non-Wikimedian individuals or organizations? If so – can you explain your intention for this outreach?
Yes, we intend to actively engage with non-Wikimedian individuals, specifically focusing on students and faculty from the University of Delhi (DU) and its affiliated colleges. Our outreach strategy is designed to transform "consumers of knowledge" into "creators of knowledge.". DU students have access to high-quality academic libraries and JSTOR archives. Their involvement ensures that Hindi Wikipedia articles are backed by reliable, scholarly secondary sources, which is the most effective way to improve article quality and reduce "unsourced" tags. Students from the Hindi, History, and Sanskrit departments possess the advanced grammar and vocabulary required to write high-quality encyclopedic content that goes beyond basic translation. DU attracts students from across the "Hindi Belt" (Bihar, UP, Rajasthan, MP, etc.). This allows us to capture hyper-local knowledge about rural festivals, local history, and regional dialects that are currently missing from the Hindi Wikipedia. By engaging youth, we are building a long-term pipeline of editors. These students can form "Wiki-Clubs" within their colleges, ensuring that the momentum continues long after the workshop ends.
- 19. What will you do to make sure participants continue to engage in your activities after the event?
we have developed a post-event engagement strategy. Our goal is to move participants from "one-time editors" to "active community members."
1. Mentorship: Each less experienced participant will be paired with an experienced Hindi editor for a 30-day "incubation period." To provide guidance on Talk Pages and help them understand why an edit might have been reverted, preventing the frustration that often leads to drop-outs.
2. Contests and Thematic Challenges: New editors often stop because they don't know what to write next. We will launch a month-long "Edit-a-thon Series" or a "Local History Challenge" for continuous engagement. Small, achievable goals with digital "Barnstars" or certificates for the top 5 contributors will keep them motivated and active.
3. Dedicated Communication Channels: We will create a WhatsApp group for the 2026 cohort. This creates a "social" atmosphere. When a new editor sees their peer's article being "Article of the Month," it encourages healthy competition and a sense of belonging.
4. Recognition and Certification: We will issue conference certificate only those participants who complete at least 5–10 quality edits in the two weeks following the event. This ensures that the learning is applied practically and incentivizes the first few critical steps of the editing journey.
- 20. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select a maximum of THREE options that most apply.
Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement, Invest in Skills and Leadership Development, Manage Internal Knowledge, Identify Topics for Impact
Logistical Aspects
[edit]- 21. Do you have any proposed venue for the event?
Yes, we plan to host the event at the Hyatt Regency Gurugram, located on NH48. This venue is ideal for a high-impact workshop due to its world-class conference facilities and proximity to key transit points.
Logistical Details:
1. The hotel is approximately 27 km (40 minutes) from Indira Gandhi International Airport, making it convenient for any outstation guests.
2. While not directly on a metro line, it is accessible via a 20-minute taxi ride from HUDA City Centre (Yellow Line) or IFFCO Chowk metro stations.
3. The venue offers high-speed Wi-Fi, which is critical for live editing, and pillar-free halls suitable for both lectures and small-group breakout sessions.
Possible Challenges:
1. For students coming from North Campus (University of Delhi), the commute can exceed 90 minutes. To mitigate this, we will provide a dedicated shuttle service from the nearest metro station.
2. Since it is located on the Delhi-Jaipur highway, Friday evening traffic can be heavy; we will schedule the event timing to avoid peak congestion hours.
3. this is monsoon time and prepration time for indian Independence day celebration. Keeping this in mind we choose 1 week prior date to host event and we are doing it indoor. So If there is rain it can be less inconvenient.
- 22. Is the event venue and hotel accessible for people with physical disabilities?
Yes
- 23. How many scholarships would you like to offer?
We intend to offer a total of 40 scholarships to ensure diverse participation:
20 Full Scholarships: Covers round-trip travel, 3 days of accommodation, and all meals for outstation participants (specifically from remote "Hindi Belt" areas).
20 Partial Scholarships: Covers 2 days of accommodation, and all meals for Local participants (specifically from Delhi NCR Reason.
- 24. What expenses will the scholarship cover?
1. Full Scholarship (20 Recipients): This is intended for outstation participants (mentors and experts) from the "Hindi Belt." It covers:
1.1 Travel: Round-trip flight (economy-class) or train fare (up to 2nd AC) or bus fare (AC or sleeper) from their home city to Delhi/Gurugram.
1.2 Accommodation: 3 nights of stay at the venue (Hyatt Regency) or a nearby budget hotel on a twin-sharing basis.
1.3. Meals: Full boarding, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the duration of the event (3 days).
1.4 Commute Stipend: A fixed daily allowance to cover the cost of Delhi Metro or local bus travel to and from Gurugram for 2 days.
2. Partial Scholarship (20 Recipients): This is intended for local wikimedians, volunteer's and students/teacher (primarily from the University of Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University etc.). It covers:
2.1 Accommodation: 1 nights of stay at the venue (Hyatt Regency) or a nearby budget hotel on a twin-sharing basis.
2.2. Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the duration of the event (2 days).
2.3 Commute Stipend: A fixed daily allowance to cover the cost of Delhi Metro or local bus travel to and from Gurugram for 2 days.
2.4 Data/Internet Stipend: A small reimbursement for mobile data packages to ensure participants can continue editing and engaging with mentors for 30 days post-event.
- 25. How will scholarship recipients be selected?
We will implement a merit-based and diversity-focused selection process. A Selection Committee consisting of three Hindi Wikimedians admin will evaluate applications based on the following framework:
1. Contribution: We will review their edit count on the Hindi Wikipedia over the last conference (2020) till present.
2. Strategic Alignment & Diversity:
2.1Gender Diversity: At least 40% of scholarships will be reserved for female or non-binary participants to address the gender gap.
2.2 Geographical Diversity: Priority will be given to students from rural universities across the Hindi Belt who lack access to such training.2.3 Thematic Expertise: Preference for students/SMEs from the University of Delhi with a background in underrepresented subjects (e.g., Folk Arts, Tribal History).
3. Technical Readiness: Proficiency in Hindi typing and access to a laptop or mobile will be given priourity.
process:
1. Open Call: Application form launched via Google Forms and Village Pump (Hindi Wikipedia).
2. Shortlisting: Initial screening based on basic eligibility and technical requirements.
3. Review: Scoring of Statement of Purpose and past contributions by the committee.
4. Notification: Final list of 30 recipients announced.
- 26. In which ways can Wikimedia Foundation staff support your event onsite?
We request the presence of Wikimedia Foundation staff to assist in the following three key areas:
1. Advanced Technical Troubleshooting: Real-time help with Phabricator tasks, template errors, or bugs related to the Hindi language interface (MediaWiki).
2. Global Movement & Strategy Insights: Delivering a keynote or session on the 2030 Movement Strategy and Knowledge Equity.
3. Metrics and Impact Assessment: Assisting the organizers in setting up and monitoring the Programs & Events Dashboard live during the event.
- 26.2. Do you intend to invite any WMF staff members to your event? (please note that all WMF staff travel and accommodation costs will be covered by the foundation). Please indicate what is the limit number of WMF staff members you would like to welcome at your event.
Yes, we intend to invite 2 staff members from the Wikimedia Foundation to participate in the workshop. Their presence will be invaluable for providing global context and technical expertise.
1. Discribe Communications/Movement Strategy: To speak about wikipedia movement vision 2030.
2. provide Product & Technology help: To help with specific Hindi-language technical barriers, such as wikisource uploded document not Ocr, the Hindi mobile editing interface and Wikidata integration related problem.
- 27. Please outline the roles and responsibilities of the organizing team for the conference.
1. WMF Liaison - संजीव कुमार
2. Logistics - अनिरुद्ध कुमार, नीलम
3. Conference Program - sm7 , अजीत कुमार तिवारी
4. Scholarships - अनिरुद्ध कुमार
संजीव कुमार
5. Communications - सौरभ तिवारी 05 , शितल सिन्हा
6. Volunteer Coordinators - muskanchaudhary123 , आदेश
- 28. Do you have plans to co-organize the event with other Wikimedia communities, groups or affiliates?
No
- 28.1. If yes, can you please explain how you are going to co-organize the event and what responsibilities each partner will have.
- 29. What kind of risks do you anticipate and how would you mitigate these?
We have identified Five potential risks that could impact the workshop and have developed proactive mitigation strategies for each:
1. Delhi NCR Air Quality and Health Risk: As the event is in the Delhi-NCR region, extreme air pollution (AQI > 400) or a sudden "Severe" category smog alert could lead to government-mandated lockdowns or health risks for travel.
Mitigation: The venue (Hyatt Regency) is equipped with central air filtration. If a city-wide lockdown occurs, we have a Hybrid/Remote contingency plan ready on Zoom/Google Meet, and scholarship funds will be redirected to provide internet data stipends for participants.
2. Political or Social Unrest Risk: Unexpected protests or transportation strikes in Delhi could hinder movement to the venue in Gurugram.
Mitigation: We will monitor local news 72 hours prior. We have selected a venue near the highway (NH48) to allow for alternative routes and will maintain a dedicated WhatsApp group for real-time travel coordination.
3. Leadership/Organizer Turnover Risk: Key organizers may become unavailable due to personal or professional emergencies.
Mitigation: We have a "Co-Lead" structure where every responsibility (Finance, Outreach, Logistics) is shared by at least two people. All project documentation, including the participant list and vendor contacts, is stored in a shared Google Drive accessible to the core team and WMF staff.
4. Low Retention Post-Event Risk: Participants may stop editing after the workshop ends.
Mitigation: We have built a whatsup groups (as detailed in Q19) with micro-challenges to ensure that the initial excitement translates into a long-term habit.
5. Connectivity Issues Risk: Slow Wi-Fi or technical glitches with the Hindi Unicode typing tools during the live edit-a-thon.
Mitigation: We will conduct a "Tech-Check" at the venue 24 hours prior. We will also provide a "Offline Resource Kit" (PDF guides on Hindi typing and Wikipedia basics) on USB drives for all participants.
- 30. Friendly space policy - Please add the link to the friendly space policy that your community will be using for this event.
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Friendly_space_policies
Learning, Sharing, and Evaluation
[edit]- 31. What do you hope to learn from your work organising this conference?
Our core motivation is to understand how a structured, high-resource intervention (like a 3-day hotel workshop) impacts the long-term health of the Hindi Wikipedia. We hope to answer the following Learning Questions through the data we collect:
1. Does partnering with premier educational institutions like the University of Delhi result in higher-quality content and better editor retention compared to general public outreach?
2. Does a 1:5 mentor-to-newcomer ratio significantly reduce the "reversion rate" (edits deleted by other editors) of new users?
3. To what extent can a curated "Task List" influence editors to write about underrepresented local history versus popular/translated topics?
4. Does hosting an event in a professional, high-access venue (Hyatt Gurugram) increase the "seriousness" and perceived value of Wikipedia editing among non-Wikimedians?
- 32. Main open metrics
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Depth of Learning & Skill Application (Qualitative/Targeted) | A summary report and analysis of participant learning outcomes. This will be measured by the percentage of attendees who report gaining specific, actionable skills or knowledge relevant to their work in the movement.
Data to collect: Pre- and post-event surveys or "exit tickets" asking: "What is one specific skill you learned today that you will apply next month?" |
70 |
| content creation (Quantitative) | we will measure it through number of article created during next month including post conference article creation contest. at least 5 article per participent should be created with atleast 2 refrence and 200 words each. | 400 |
| Post-Event Collaboration & Movement Connectivity (Qualitative) | A narrative report based on follow-up interviews or focus groups (3–6 months post-event) detailing how the conference influenced participant engagement. at least 3 partnership or collaborations should improvise.
Data to collect: Case studies of new projects, partnerships, or cross-border collaborations that originated at the event. |
3 |
| Diversity & Strategic Inclusion (Quantitative) | The demographic breakdown of participants, specifically tracking newcomers and underrepresented groups (e.g., women, gender diverse individuals, or specific geographic regions). 40% should belongs to these underrepresented groups.
Data to collect: Registration data (disaggregated by gender and experience level) and the number of first-time attendees. |
40 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
Financial Proposal
[edit]- 34. What is the amount you are requesting in Indian Rupees?
1682100 INR
- 35. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vPs2Bb5fdEjHMUm0hD-Xm5E041mFPz3jIos0-yi6LFU/edit?usp=sharing
- 36. Do you expect to receive funding for this conference from other organizations to support your work?
No
- 36.1. If yes, what kind of resources are you expecting to get?
By submitting this proposal request you agree with the Application Privacy Statements, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
- Yes
- Please use this optional space to upload any documents that you feel are important for further understanding your proposal.
- Other public document(s):
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