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Odia Wikimedians Ignite Knowledge at Puri Offline Edit-a-thon

Source: Odia Wikimedians host Offline Edit-a-thon at Puri (2025-11-25)

The Odia Wikimedians User Group, in partnership with the Wikipedia Asian Month User Group, hosted a vibrant offline edit-a-thon in Puri on November 23, 2025, marking a significant step toward enriching Odia content on Wikipedia. This event not only fostered community bonding and capacity building but also aimed to expand Asian cultural and historical narratives within Odia Wikipedia. Led by coordinator Sangram Keshari Senapati and supported by trainer Chinmayee Mishra, six new contributors learned essential editing skills, policies, and workflows. The event underscores the growing commitment of Odia-speaking communities to digital knowledge dissemination, aligning with global efforts to diversify and democratize information. In recent developments, the event coincides with a surge in digital literacy initiatives across Odisha, driven by government and NGO collaborations to promote local language content. The Odisha government has announced plans to integrate Odia Wikipedia contributions into school curricula, fostering early engagement among students. Additionally, the Odia Wikimedians are planning future workshops in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to further empower local contributors. Globally, Wikipedia's Asian content has seen a 15% increase in articles related to Indian states over the past year, reflecting a broader push for regional representation. The event also aligns with UNESCO’s 2025 Digital Heritage Initiative, emphasizing the importance of preserving and promoting indigenous languages online. This offline edit-a-thon exemplifies how grassroots efforts can significantly impact digital knowledge ecosystems, especially in underrepresented languages like Odia. As Odisha continues to embrace digital transformation, such initiatives are vital for ensuring that local histories, cultures, and knowledge are accessible to a global audience. The success of this event highlights the potential for community-driven projects to bridge gaps in information and foster pride in regional heritage. Moving forward, Odia Wikimedians aim to host more such events, collaborate with educational institutions, and leverage emerging technologies like AI-assisted editing to accelerate content growth. This momentum not only enriches Odia Wikipedia but also contributes to the broader goal of linguistic diversity and digital inclusion in India and beyond.

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