TNI Bureau: The vibrant community of Wikimedians from Odisha made a significant impact at Wikimania 2024, the annual global gathering of Wikipedians. Representing the Odia Wikimedians user group, Subhasish Panigrahi, Chinmayee Mishra, and Aliva Sahoo, along with Santali Wikimedian Rajmit Tudu, showcased their contributions and participated in enriching sessions.
Chinmayee Mishra: An engineer by profession and a passionate Wikimedian since 2015, Chinmayee is known for her dedication to creating an inclusive space free from discrimination. Hailing from the east coast of India, she shared her journey and insights at a session during the event.
Aliva Sahoo: Active on both Odia and Hindi Wikipedia, Aliva joined the Wikimedia movement in 2015. Her contributions span Wikimedia Commons, Odia Wikisource, and Wikidata. Aliva’s participation at Wikimania was made possible through a scholarship from Wikimedia Deutschland, highlighting her significant contributions to the community.
Rajmit Tudu: A dedicated volunteer on Santali Wikipedia, Rajmit has also started contributing to Odia Wikipedia. His involvement in Wikimania was supported by a scholarship from CIS-A2K, emphasizing his role in promoting the Santali language and culture on the Wikimedia platform.
Sailesh Patnaik: A long-time contributor to Odia Wikipedia, Sailesh works for the Wikimedia Foundation and has played a crucial role in collaborating with the government to make Odia content available under free licenses. His efforts have significantly enhanced the accessibility of Odia language resources.
Subhasish Panigrahi: An admin on Odia Wikipedia, Subhasish has been a long-standing contributor with numerous contributions, including recent efforts in voice recording for the Odia language. These recordings are invaluable for machine learning and text-to-speech applications, furthering the reach and usability of the Odia language.
The presence of these dedicated individuals at Wikimania 2024 not only highlights their personal achievements but also underscores the growing influence and contributions of the Odia and Santali Wikimedia communities on the global stage. Their efforts continue to inspire and drive the mission of creating free and accessible knowledge for all.