Education/News/November 2025/Kannada Wikipedia Asian Month 2025: Edit-a-thon & Workshop Highlights from Loyola College, Karnataka
Kannada Wikipedia Asian Month 2025: Edit-a-thon & Workshop Highlights from Loyola College, Karnataka
The initiative aimed to promote Kannada-language digital content creation, empower rural students with digital skills, and encourage contributions to open knowledge platforms such as Wikipedia. The event formed a significant component of the Wikipedia Asian Month celebrations, held from 15 November to 15 December 2025, which encourages contributors across Asia to create, edit, and improve articles related to Asian topics on Wikipedia. Participants also stand a chance to win postcard prizes and certificates for their contributions during the event.
More than 50 enthusiastic students took part in the workshop and edit-a-thon, making it one of the most engaging Wikipedia outreach programs in the region.
Objectives of the Program
The primary objectives of the Kannada Wikipedia Workshop & Edit-a-thon were:
- To promote digital literacy among students in rural areas by enabling them to use online knowledge platforms effectively.
- To support and strengthen Kannada-language content on Wikipedia.
- To train new editors in creating well-structured and reliable articles on Kannada Wikipedia.
- To enhance skills in Kannada typing, translation, referencing, and wiki formatting.
- To motivate students and educators to become long-term contributors to open knowledge communities.
- To create awareness about Wikipedia Asian Month, its importance, and opportunities for participation.
Program Details
Inaugural Ceremony - The program began with a formal ceremony.
- Rev. Fr. Vinod Paul SJ, Principal of Loyola College, inaugurated the event by lighting the lamp and delivering a welcome address.
- In his speech, he emphasized the importance of contributing to Kannada Wikipedia as a means of preserving and promoting regional knowledge in digital spaces.
- Mr. Zakeer Hussain, from the Department of Computer Science, introduced the resource persons and outlined the day’s schedule.
Resource Persons
The sessions were facilitated by experts from St Aloysius University:
- Mr. Santhosh Notagar, Head of the Department of Computer Animation
- Dr. Hariprasad Shetty, Head of the Zoology Department
Both trainers brought rich experience in digital education and Wikipedia content development.
Hands-on Training Sessions
After the inauguration, participants proceeded to the computer lab for practical sessions. The training included:
- Kannada typing using KGP Nudi software
- Methods for translating difficult or technical terms
- Guidelines on writing high-quality Wikipedia articles
- Techniques for adding reliable references
- Creating internal links between Wikipedia pages
- Adding infoboxes and improving article structure
- Uploading and using images from Wikimedia Commons
- Real-time editing during the Edit-a-thon segment, allowing participants to apply skills immediately
The hands-on nature of the workshop ensured active participation and deeper understanding.
Outcomes of the Workshop
The one-day workshop and edit-a-thon produced several positive outcomes:
- Over 50 students gained practical Wikipedia editing skills, enabling them to contribute content independently.
- Several new Kannada Wikipedia articles were drafted and improved during the edit-a-thon.
- The workshop fostered greater interest in digital content creation among rural students.
- The event successfully promoted the goals of Wikipedia Asian Month 2025, encouraging more participation in the ongoing article-writing competition.
- Educators from Loyola College also expressed interest in integrating Wikipedia activities into academic learning in the future.
- Students became familiar with: Nudi Kannada typing, Article formatting standards, Referencing and citation styles, Wikimedia Commons usage
Conclusion
The Kannada Wikipedia Workshop and Edit-a-thon held on 16 November 2025 at Loyola College, Manvi, was a significant initiative in promoting digital literacy and enhancing the availability of Kannada-language content on Wikipedia. With enthusiastic participation from over 50 students, the event succeeded in introducing rural learners to knowledge creation, digital tools, and collaborative online platforms.
As part of the broader Wikipedia Asian Month 2025, the workshop is expected to inspire further contributions throughout the competition period. The commitment and collaboration of Loyola College Management, along with the guidance of skilled resource persons, made the event impactful and enriching for all participants.