Community Resources and Partnerships/India Rapid Project/“விக்கிப்பீடியா 25ஆம் பிறந்தநாள் திருவிழா” (Wikipedia 25th Anniversary Celebration)/Final Report
Application type: Standard application {{#ifeq:Standard application|Standard application|
Part 1: Project and impact
[edit]1. Describe the implemented activities and results achieved. Additionally, share which approaches were most effective in supporting you to achieve the results. (required)
The “Wikipedia 25th Anniversary Celebration” project was organized as a two-day training and outreach event on 31 January 2026 and 1 February 2026 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. The first day was conducted at PSGR Krishnammal College for Women, and the second day at Anali School of Arts and Literature. The event aimed to introduce Wikimedia projects to new participants and strengthen the skills of existing contributors through structured training sessions.
The program included introductory lectures on Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia, Wikisource, Wikidata, Wiktionary, and Wikimedia Commons, along with practical workshops on account creation, copyright and free licensing awareness, OCR-based text digitization, proofreading, formatting, and book publication workflows in Wikisource. Participants also engaged in discussions on open knowledge, digital documentation of Tamil resources, and the role of Wikisource as a primary dataset for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The project achieved strong outcomes across multiple Wikimedia platforms. During the project period, contributors collectively made 9923 edits across Wikimedia projects. This includes 1125 edits on Wikipedia, 7493 edits on Wikisource, 1,073 edits on Wiktionary, 157 edits on Wikidata, and 75 uploads on Wikimedia Commons. In addition, 40 new Wikipedia articles were created, including topics related to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Several Tamil books were also digitized and proofread on Wikisource, including the work Thirukkural Sorpurul Surabhi, which reached the final verification stage.
One of the most effective approaches used in the project was a hands-on training model that guided participants through the entire workflow—from introduction and account creation to practical editing and publishing. Pre-selecting books and assigning page ranges to participants helped ensure structured participation and measurable outcomes. Collaboration between academics, technologists, experienced Wikimedians, and students also strengthened knowledge exchange and community engagement.
Overall, the project not only celebrated the 25th anniversary of Wikipedia but also contributed significantly to the growth of the Tamil Wikimedia community, improved technical skills among participants, and supported the long-term goal of expanding open knowledge resources in the Tamil language.
The event also served as an opportunity to appreciate the continuous efforts of Wikipedia and the wider Wikimedia movement in promoting open knowledge. Organized in collaboration with PSGR Krishnammal College for Women, Anali School of Arts and Literature, and Tamil Wikimedia volunteers, the program included awareness sessions on Wikimedia projects, user account creation, and hands-on activities such as digitization and proofreading of Tamil texts in Wikisource.
Through this program, both new users and experienced contributors recognized and appreciated the important role played by Wikimedia projects in documenting and sharing knowledge. The celebration was further enriched by the participation of the Anali School of Arts and Literature, where traditional Tamil art forms were presented to mark the occasion.
Overall, the event highlighted the importance of collaborative volunteer efforts and encouraged greater participation in open knowledge initiatives. Appreciations and greetings are extended to the Wikimedia projects and the dedicated volunteers who continue to work tirelessly for the knowledge community.
During the event, doctoral researcher Mahalingam spoke about the importance of making Wikimedia projects more accessible for visually challenged contributors. He emphasized that improved technical support and inclusive digital tools are essential to enable visually impaired users to actively participate in Wikimedia activities such as editing, proofreading, and contributing knowledge. In his presentation, he highlighted several practical measures that could enhance accessibility within Wikimedia platforms. These include designing web pages with accessibility-friendly features such as properly labeling image-based buttons, providing descriptive alt text for images, and ensuring clear structural elements like headings, subheadings, tables, lists, buttons, and edit boxes so that screen readers can interpret the content effectively. He also suggested creating accessible digital books for visually challenged readers by structuring OCR-processed texts in HTML format with proper headings, tables, and image descriptions, similar to the layout of the original book.
Furthermore, he proposed uploading more contemporary literary works to meet the reading needs of visually impaired users, and documenting information about visually challenged writers and their contributions. Another important recommendation was to create an archive of the lives and achievements of visually challenged individuals, including data about their schools, colleges, sports, and social activities. He also suggested exploring the possibility of identifying visually challenged contributors within Wikimedia by providing an option during account creation, which could help understand the participation of visually impaired users in the Wikimedia community. In addition, he recommended replacing visual CAPTCHA systems with accessible alternatives such as number-based or audio-based verification methods and one-time password (OTP) authentication. He also emphasized the need for keyboard-friendly editing environments by introducing shortcut key commands so that visually challenged users can perform Wikimedia tasks without relying on a mouse. By implementing such accessibility improvements, he noted that Wikimedia platforms can become more inclusive and provide equal opportunities for visually challenged individuals to participate in the creation, documentation, and preservation of open knowledge.
As a continuation of this project, discussions were held on future improvements such as enhancing the web interface of Wikimedia projects and introducing a new, user-friendly wiki login system to make participation easier for new contributors. It was also noted that the project encouraged sustained engagement, with five additional volunteers expressing their willingness to continue contributing to Wikimedia projects. During the discussion session, Dr. Mageswari B. S. (Mother Tongue – Baduga) emphasized the need to create opportunities within Wikimedia platforms to document tribal and indigenous languages such as Baduga. Baduga, the native language of the Nilgiri hills, is primarily an oral language and has been identified by UNESCO as a language at risk of endangerment. It carries rich cultural knowledge, including traditional practices, folk songs, oral narratives, ecological knowledge, and unique phonetic structures of the community. Dr. Mageswari highlighted that documenting such languages through Wikimedia initiatives would help preserve their cultural heritage, support linguistic research, and ensure that valuable indigenous knowledge is passed on to future generations.
2.1. Documentation of your impact. Please use space below to share links that help tell your story, impact, and evaluation. (required)
Share links to:
- Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project
- Dashboards and tools that you used to track contributions
- Some photos or videos from your event. Remember to share access.
You can also share links to:
- Important social media posts
- Surveys and their results
- Infographics and sound files
- Examples of content edited on Wikimedia projects
The impact of the “Wikipedia 25th Anniversary Celebration” project has been documented through various Wikimedia platforms, contribution tracking tools, and media documentation. The following links and resources demonstrate the activities, outputs, and community engagement achieved during the project period.
Project page on Meta-Wiki - Wikipedia 25th Anniversary Celebration – Project Page([விக்கிப்பீடியா25 பிறந்தநாள் விழா நாள்], [Wikipedia 25th Anniversary Celebration])
Contribution tracking and dashboardsContribution statistics and edit tracking were compiled using Wikimedia contribution tools and event monitoring methods. These include edit summaries and contribution tracking from Wikimedia projects during the project period (15 January 2026 – 21 February 2026).
- Wikipedia edits - [1]
- Wiktionary edits - [2]
- Wikidata edits - [3]
- Wikimedia Commons uploads and edits - [4]
- Wikisource edits and proofreading contributions - [5]
Examples of contributions on Wikimedia projects Participants contributed across multiple Wikimedia platforms including:
- Wikipedia – Creation of new articles such as
- [சில-முயற்சிக் கற்றல்]
- [தூண்டல் பொறியியல்]
- [சுழிய-முயற்சிக் கற்றல்]
- [மனிதப் பின்னூட்ட வழி வலுவூட்டல் கற்றல்]
- [சுருள்வு நரம்பியல் வலைப்பின்னல்]
- Wikisource – Digitization and proofreading of Tamil texts including
- Tholkappiyam – Ezhuthathikaram [[அட்டவணை:தொல்காப்பியம் எழுத்ததிகாரம்.pdf,]]
- Thirukkural Sorpurul Surabhi [[அட்டவணை:திருக்குறள் சொற்பொருள் சுரபி.pdf]]
- Ariviyal Kalanjiyam [[அட்டவணை:அறிவியல் களஞ்சியம் 12.pdf]]
- Wiktionary – Creation and expansion of Tamil lexical entries.
- Wikidata – Structured data entries supporting Wikimedia knowledge networks.
- Wikimedia Commons – Upload of event-related images and documentation.
Photos and media documentation - Photos and videos documenting the training sessions, workshops, and community interactions were uploaded to Wikimedia Commons and shared through project communication channels. These materials capture key moments such as training sessions, participant engagement, Tamil cultural performances, and collaborative editing activities.
Social Media and Outreach – Project highlights and updates were shared through social media platforms and community communication channels to increase awareness about Wikimedia projects and open knowledge initiatives.
Through these documentation efforts, the project ensures transparency, accessibility of impact data, and long-term reference for future Wikimedia community activities and research initiatives.
Media Coverage:[6]
Linkedin:[11]
2.2. Additionally, share the materials and resources that you used in the implementation of your project. (required)
For example:
- Training materials and guides
- Presentations and slides
- Work processes and plans
- Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others
The implementation of the “Wikipedia 25th Anniversary Celebration” project involved the use of several training materials, digital resources, and structured work processes to support participant learning and contributions across Wikimedia projects.
Training materials and guides:Participants were provided with introductory guidance on Wikimedia projects including Wikipedia, Wikisource, Wikidata, Wiktionary, and Wikimedia Commons. Training sessions included step-by-step demonstrations on creating user accounts, understanding copyright and free licenses, OCR-based text digitization, proofreading practices, formatting, and the workflow of publishing books in Wikisource.
Presentations and slides:Structured presentations were used during the training sessions to explain the role of Wikimedia projects in open knowledge, digital preservation of Tamil resources, and the importance of collaborative knowledge creation. These presentations also introduced participants to the technical processes involved in editing Wikimedia platforms.
Work processes and activity plans:A clear workflow was designed to help participants move from introductory learning to practical editing. Selected books and documents were prepared in advance, and specific page ranges were assigned to participants for proofreading and editing tasks. This structured approach helped ensure consistent participation and measurable outputs.
Digital resources used for training:Several Tamil digital texts were used as practice materials for Wikisource digitization and proofreading, including:
- Tholkappiyam – Ezhuthathikaram [அட்டவணை:தொல்காப்பியம் எழுத்ததிகாரம்.pdf,]
- Thirukkural Sorpurul Surabhi [அட்டவணை:திருக்குறள் சொற்பொருள் சுரபி.pdf]
- Ariviyal Kalanjiyam [அட்டவணை:அறிவியல் களஞ்சியம் 12.pdf]
- Verchol Katturaikal [அட்டவணை:வேர்ச்சொற் கட்டுரைகள்.pdf]
- Other literary and translated texts used for training exercises.
Community knowledge sharing: Experienced Wikimedians, researchers, and technical experts shared their experiences and guidance during the event. These discussions helped participants understand best practices for contributing to Wikimedia projects and encouraged long-term engagement with open knowledge initiatives.
All these materials and resources collectively supported the successful implementation of the project and can also be reused for future Wikimedia training programs and community outreach activities.
3. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals. Required. Select one option per question. (required)
| A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups | Strongly agree |
| B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community | Strongly agree |
| C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups | Strongly agree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Agree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | Strongly agree |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Agree |
| G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement | Strongly agree |
| F. Other (optional) | The project also helped strengthen collaboration between academics, students, technologists, and experienced Wikimedians. It created a platform for knowledge exchange and encouraged participants to view Wikimedia projects not only as editing platforms but also as tools for digital preservation, research, and open knowledge dissemination.
Additionally, the event highlighted the potential of Tamil digital texts in Wikisource as valuable datasets for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and natural language processing. This perspective motivated participants to contribute more actively to digitization and knowledge documentation activities. The project also encouraged participants to continue contributing after the event, helping to build a more sustainable and active Tamil Wikimedia contributor community. |
Part 2: Learning
[edit]4. In your application, you outlined some learning questions. What did you learn from these learning questions when you implemented your project? How do you hope to use this learnings in the future? You can recall these learning questions below. (required)
You can recall these learning questions below: By [12]
One of the important learning questions in this project was how participation and contributions across Wikimedia projects could be effectively measured and evaluated. For this purpose, contribution data was analyzed using the Quarry tool ([13]) along with edit tracking across different Wikimedia platforms.
- Wikipedia edits - [14]
- Wiktionary edits - [15]
- Wikidata edits - [16]
- Wikimedia Commons uploads and edits - [17]
Wikisource edits and proofreading contributions - [18]
Through this analysis, we learned that structured training combined with hands-on activities significantly improves participant engagement and productivity. When participants are given clear tasks—such as assigned pages for proofreading in Wikisource or specific topics for Wikipedia article creation—they are more likely to complete their contributions and remain active throughout the event.
Another key learning was the importance of preparing resources in advance. By pre-selecting books, preparing OCR texts, and assigning page ranges, the workflow became easier for participants to follow. This approach helped participants understand the full process from digitization to publication in Wikisource.
The project also showed that collaboration between academics, students, technologists, and experienced Wikimedians creates a strong learning environment. Participants benefited from both technical guidance and subject expertise, which improved the quality of contributions.
In the future, these learnings will help us design more effective Wikimedia training programs. We plan to continue using contribution tracking tools such as Quarry and other Wikimedia analytics tools to evaluate participation and outcomes. Additionally, future programs will focus on expanding Wikisource digitization projects, strengthening editor retention, and integrating Wikimedia activities into academic and research environments to support the growth of open knowledge in Tamil.
5. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities? This can include both positive and negative situations. What did you learn from those experiences? (required)
During the implementation of the project, several unexpected but valuable experiences occurred. One positive surprise was the high level of participation and contribution from the participants. Although the project initially planned for modest contribution targets, the results exceeded expectations. Participants collectively made 9923 edits across Wikimedia projects, including 7493 edits on Wikisource and 1125 edits on Wikipedia, along with contributions to Wikidata, Wiktionary, and Wikimedia Commons. This demonstrated that structured training combined with practical editing tasks can motivate participants to contribute actively.
Another positive outcome was the strong interest among students and new participants in learning about Wikisource digitization and proofreading. Many participants were particularly interested in working with Tamil texts and understanding how digital archives can support research and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
There were also a few challenges. Some participants initially faced technical difficulties, such as understanding editing interfaces, OCR errors in scanned texts, and formatting issues while working on Wikisource pages. However, these challenges were addressed through hands-on guidance from experienced Wikimedians and collaborative problem-solving during the sessions.
From these experiences, we learned that practical training, clear task assignments, and continuous mentoring are essential for successful Wikimedia training events. Providing pre-prepared materials, clear workflows, and real-time support helped participants overcome difficulties and stay engaged.
These insights will help improve future Wikimedia training initiatives by ensuring better preparation, stronger technical support, and more structured participation methods.
6. What is your plan to share your project learnings and results with other community members? If you have already done it, describe how. (required)
The learnings and results from the “Wikipedia 25th Anniversary Celebration” project will be shared with the wider Wikimedia community through multiple channels to ensure transparency, knowledge exchange, and continued collaboration.
First, the project outcomes, contribution statistics, and documentation have been compiled and shared on the Meta-Wiki project page, where community members can access details about the activities, results, and lessons learned from the event. This public documentation helps other Wikimedia organizers understand the methods used in organizing training programs and community outreach activities.
Second, the results of the project—including edit statistics and examples of content created—have been shared within the Tamil Wikimedia community, encouraging participants and other contributors to continue engaging with Wikimedia projects. Community discussions and follow-up interactions are also planned to support continued participation and editor retention.
Third, the experiences and training approaches from this project will be shared in academic and educational environments, particularly in colleges and research groups interested in digital humanities, Tamil computing, and open knowledge initiatives. This helps introduce Wikimedia projects as tools for collaborative knowledge creation and digital preservation.
Additionally, photos, documentation, and event summaries have been shared through Wikimedia platforms and community communication channels. These materials provide evidence of the activities and help inspire future Wikimedia outreach and training programs.
Through these efforts, the project aims to contribute to the growth of the Tamil Wikimedia community, encourage new contributors, and share practical models for organizing effective Wikimedia training events.
Part 3: Metrics
[edit]7. Wikimedia Metrics results. (required)
In your application, you set some Wikimedia targets in numbers (Wikimedia metrics). In this section, you will describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used.
| Target | Results | Comments and tools used | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 20 | 26 | Participant contributions were tracked using the Quarry analytics tool on Wikimedia Cloud Services:
https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/102832 The analysis shows that 26 contributors collectively made 7,493 edits on Tamil Wikisource, which significantly exceeded the initial target of 2,000–2,500 edits by 20 users. The contributions include 1,647 newly created pages and 5,846 improved pages. The higher-than-expected outcome demonstrates the effectiveness of the hands-on training model, where participants were assigned specific books and page ranges for OCR correction and proofreading. This structured workflow helped participants clearly understand the Wikisource editing process and enabled them to contribute productively during the event. |
| Number of editors | 20 | 26 | Editor contributions were analyzed using the Quarry analytics tool on Wikimedia Cloud Services. Separate queries were used to track edits across different Wikimedia projects:
Wikipedia edits: https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/102835 Wiktionary edits: https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/102836 Wikidata edits: https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/102837 Wikimedia Commons uploads and edits: https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/102838 Wikisource edits and proofreading contributions: https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/102832 Based on this analysis, 26 editors actively contributed across multiple Wikimedia platforms during the project period. Collectively, they made 9,923 edits, including 1,869 newly created pages and 8,054 improved pages. Contributions were distributed across the Wikimedia ecosystem as follows: Wikipedia: 1,125 edits (164 pages created, 961 pages improved) Wikisource: 7,493 edits (1,647 pages created, 5,846 pages improved) Wiktionary: 1,073 edits (11 pages created, 1,062 pages improved) Wikidata: 157 edits (10 items created, 147 items improved) Wikimedia Commons: 75 uploads/edits (37 files uploaded, 38 improvements) These results indicate that the project successfully exceeded the initial target of 20 editors, demonstrating strong engagement and active participation across multiple Wikimedia projects. |
| Number of organizers | 2 | 4 | In addition to the two organizers mentioned in the original application, the project activities were supported by additional coordinators who assisted in organizing the training sessions, participant coordination, and venue arrangements.
Core Organizing Team: Dr. Sathiyaraj Thangasamy (Wikimedia user: நேயக்கோ) – Project Coordinator Prof. R. Ariharasuthan – (Wikimedia user: R. Ariharasuthan) Project Coordinator / Academic and Technical Support Dr. P. Kavitha – (Wikimedia user: Kavitha Packiyam) Event Coordinator Sridhar – (Wikimedia user: Sridharrv2000) Project Manager / Technical Support Event Coordination Support: Dr. M. Maithily (Wikimedia user: Mythily Balakrishnan) Dr. N. Rajendran (Wikimedia user: Rajendran Nallathambi) Dr. R. Gunaseelan (Wikimedia user: Gunathamizh) Dr. V. Karunya (Wikimedia user: காருண்யாரஞ்சித்) Dr. R. Nithya (Wikimedia user: NithyaSathiyaraj) The presence of additional organizers helped ensure smooth coordination of the training sessions, participant management, and documentation of activities across both venues. Participant attendance and engagement during the event were documented through community sign-in records and Wikimedia user activity logs, confirming active participation of attendees during the project period. |
| Wikimedia project | Target | Result - Number of created pages | Result - Number of improved pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 10 | 40 | 1085 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 30 | 75 | 38 |
| Wikidata | 10 | 10 | 157 |
| Wiktionary | 100 | 100 | 1062 |
| Wikisource | 2000 | 2000 | 5846 |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |||
| Translatewiki | |||
| MediaWiki | |||
| Wikiquote | |||
| Wikivoyage | |||
| Wikibooks | |||
| Wikiversity | |||
| Wikinews | |||
| Wikispecies | |||
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
8. Other Metrics results.
In your proposal, you could also set Other Metrics targets. Please describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used if you set Other Metrics in your application.
| Other Metrics name | Metrics Description | Target | Result | Tools and comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
9. Did you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results? (required)
No
9.1. Please state what difficulties you had. How do you hope to overcome these challenges in the future? Do you have any recommendations for the Foundation to support you in addressing these challenges? (required)
Yes, there were some difficulties in collecting and compiling the data for measuring the results. The main challenge was that contributions were made across multiple Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia, Wikisource, Wikidata, Wiktionary, and Wikimedia Commons. Collecting and verifying the edits from different platforms required additional time and manual compilation using different tools.
Another challenge was that some participants were new editors, and their contributions were spread across several pages and projects, which made it slightly difficult to aggregate the data into a single report. While tools such as Quarry and Wikimedia user contribution pages helped in tracking edits, combining the results from different projects into one consolidated dataset required careful checking. }}
Part 4: Financial reporting
[edit]10. State the total amount spent in your Indian Rupees. (required)
123312
11. State the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)
1429
12. Report the funds spent in the currency of your fund. (required)
Upload the financial report
12.1. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)
The project was implemented largely according to the approved proposal. However, there were minor variations in the distribution of expenses across budget categories based on the actual needs during the implementation of the event.
For example, slightly higher costs were incurred for food and refreshments, logistics, and documentation (photography and videography) due to participant engagement and event requirements. At the same time, other categories such as printing and miscellaneous expenses were adjusted within the overall budget framework.
As a result, the total expenditure amounted to 123,312 INR, which was slightly higher than the approved grant amount of 118,000 INR. The additional amount (5,312 INR) was covered by the organizers to ensure the successful completion of the project activities.
All expenses were directly related to the implementation of the Wikipedia 25th Anniversary Celebration training and outreach program, and the financial report has been verified by a registered Chartered Accountant and submitted as the official utilization certificate.
13. Do you have any unspent funds from the project? (required)
No
13.1. Amount of unspent funds.
N/A
13.2. Explain the reason for unspent funds.
N/A
13.2. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
N/A
13.3. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
N/A
14. Are you in compliance with all applicable terms, laws and regulations as outlined in the project agreement? Yes
15. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. (optional)
The Wikipedia 25th Anniversary Celebration project successfully brought together students, researchers, technologists, and experienced Wikimedians to contribute to the growth of open knowledge in the Tamil language. The training sessions and collaborative editing activities demonstrated that structured workshops and hands-on guidance are effective in encouraging new contributors to participate in Wikimedia projects.
One important reflection from this project is the strong potential of academic institutions as partners for Wikimedia outreach and training programs. Universities and colleges provide a productive environment where students and researchers can learn about open knowledge, digital documentation, and collaborative knowledge creation.
The project also highlighted the importance of Wikisource digitization efforts for preserving Tamil literary and scholarly works. These digitized texts can support research, education, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and natural language processing.
As a recommendation, continued support for community-led training programs and collaborations with educational institutions will help expand participation and sustain the growth of the Wikimedia movement. Future initiatives may focus on digitizing more regional language resources, strengthening editor retention, and building long-term contributor communities.
Overall, this project contributed to strengthening the Tamil Wikimedia community and demonstrated the value of collaborative efforts in preserving and sharing knowledge through open platforms.