WikiConference India 2011/Submissions/Lessons from Willam Carey – India Encounter to Wikimedia – India Encounter:

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Timestamp
08:51, 24 August 2011 (UTC)
Title of the submission

Lessons from Willam Carey – India Encounter to Wikimedia – India Encounter

Type of submission (workshop, tutorial, or presentation)

A workshop

Author of the submission
Dr.S.VENKATESAN
E-mail address or username (if username, please confirm email address in Special:Preferences)

venkatesanagj@rediffmail.com

State of your origin (Country, if you are not based in India)

India, Maharastra

Affiliation, if any (organization, company etc.)

Consultant

Personal homepage or blog


Abstract (maximum 500 words)
Lessons from Willam Carey – India Encounter to Wikimedia – India Encounter:

[Workshop will be reading a chapter "William Carey and Modernization of India" from a book and discussion in Q & A; and reading a chapter on Vedic Mathematics for competitive examations ; with suitable power point presentations; followed by the Lilavathi poem; wide distribution of the poem; asking for multilingual translations; ]

Wikimedia foundation wants to create a world where every human being has free access to sum total of human knowledge; one of the focus is to create and provide every one access to encyclopedia in chosen language; I will term it in exercise in Knowledge Mission with secular humanist faith. This venture is full of challenges of various kinds. William Carey (1761-1834) was a Protestant Christian missionary who came to India and he was a pioneer in production of Bible in different Indian Languages including Sanskrit. His efforts led to growth of Indian languages; he introduced modern printing technology to India;

Wikimedia will also face various challenges of similar nature and new ones in its evolution. 

             I want to focus on this analogy:

William Carey’s Vision: Every Indian is to be saved; 

                            Every Indian to have a copy of Bible in His language

Wikimedia Foundation’s Vision: 

                            Every Indian to have access to sum of human knowledge                                            
                            Every Indian to have access to encyclopedia (latest) in language of his choice

Now currently in India there are many Bibles available; In English language, one can get various formats and various commentaries; Bibles are available in major Indian languages. But there will be few standard options; The language style is not contemporary;

Looking back, I venture to say that missionaries should have focused of popularization of selected song and stories from Bibles – like Psalm 23, Lord’s Prayer, stories from Old Testament and Gospels; When people took interest in Biblical themes and the need developed, they should have attempted translations; 

	Just like Bible is least read, encyclopedia is least read;

in libraries, they remain like a show piece; Encyclopedia is a utopian theme; even if good encyclopedias are developed by few committed volunteers in various Indian languages, their use will be very limited. What are needed are active users; encyclopedia should be developed with a critical size of users;

Wikimedia Foundation India should enter into popular mind in intensive way for realization of its utopian dreams; As a pilot project just make this following poem known to every one appearing for CAT (common admission test for admission to management degree).

Whilst making love a necklace broke. A row of pearls mislaid. One sixth fell to the floor. One fifth upon the bed. The young woman saved one third of them. One tenth were caught by her lover. If six pearls remained upon the string How many pearls were there altogether? Excerpt from Lilavati (Appears as an additional problem attached to stanza 54, Chapter 3. Translated by T N Colebrook)

Why to focus on people who are trying for management degrees? They are committed to make success and willing to invest time and money for preparation for the aptitude test. Introduction to Lilavathi in wikimedia and call for collaborative venture in preparation for competitive examinations will be a challenge to their value system.

Track (Community/Knowledge/Outreach/Technology)

Outreach

Will you attend Wikiconference if your submission is not accepted?

will attend; applied for a partial scholarship

Slides or further information (optional)

Written as Mytalk in Wikimedia India

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