CIS-A2K/Konkani Wikipedia @Goa University

Welcome to Konkani Wikipedia @ Goa University!

We are a group dedicated to improving Konkani Wikimedia projects with the hope of bringing Konkani Wikipedia as a live project.

Goa University commenced operations on 1 June 1985 and since then it has been a pioneer institute providing higher education in the Indian state of Goa. Goa University also has a Department of Konkani which was established in 1987. As of today it offers B.A. and M.A. in Konkani Language & Literature and has Research Programmes leading to Ph.D in any area pertaining to Konkani language Literature and Culture.

Goa University in collaboration with Centre for Internet & Society's Access to Knowledge Program have been organising programs and events to strengthen Konkani community and Wikimedia projects.

Project Scope

Konkani in Devanagri script

The project's goals include:

Increase access to information for everyone in Konkani on a digital platform.
Help preserve Konkani language and culture.
Editing, enhancing and creating new articles or content related to Goa, Konkani, Goan culture, Goan folklore, Goan history, Goan geography, Goan politics etc.
Increase total number of editors on Wikimedia:Incubator Konkani.
Increase number of Goa related photos on Wikimedia Commons.
Finish translation of all system messages in Konkani on Translate Wiki.
Giving birth to Konkani Wikipedia as a live project!

Project Background

One of the first Wikipedia inaugural talk to faculty and a few students at Goa University

The relationship began in mid December 2012 when CIS-A2K organised a two-day Wikipedia Workshop for M.A. and Ph.D. students at Goa University. During the same trip series of meetings were organised with senior faculty of Goa University Prof. Alito Siqueira (Professor, Department of Sociology), Prof. Gopakumar (University Librarian), Madhavi Sardesai (Professor, Konkani Department) and Priyadarshani Tadkodkar (Head, Konkani Deaprtment) who were all very receptive and excited to the idea collaborating and helping build Wikipedia in Konkani.

From Wikipedia fraternity and volunteer of OLPC Harriet Vidyasagar helped initiate the first ever outreach program for Konkani Wikipedia, series of meetings with faculty at Goa University faculty, and a very important meeting with the Vice Chancellor Dr. Satish Shetye. After hearing about Konkanki Wikipedia Dr. Satish Shetye was so exuberant that he promised to re-release 4 volume Konkani Vishwakosh (Konkani Encyclopedia) for Wikimedia movement and gifted one whole set to CIS-A2K Programme. With Harriet's help and initiative CIS-A2K was able make a terrific start in Goa and also build some brilliant networks.

Owing to the success and limelight that CIS-A2K got in Goan local press, the team got several other invitations to organise Konkani Wikipedia Workshops in Jan 2013. Some of these invites came from St. Xavier's College, BITS Goa, Nirmala Institute of Education and also an invite by museum and library curators to organise a GLAM session.

Though there were couple of workshops organised, but post February 2013 momentum slowed down a bit in the absence of a Programme Director and due to internal team transition from India Program to CIS-A2K. However, once the new Programme Director, Vishnu Vardhan, came on board he took the engagement with Goa University to a new level by signing a MoU with the institute and promising to co-host programs and events to help build Konkani Wikipedia.

To celebrate and further the movement of open knowledge and open access Goa University in collaboration with Centre for Internet & Society's Access to Knowledge Programme (CIS-A2K) organised an event in September 2013 to formalise the relation. More details about the programs, events, media coverage, photos can be found on this project page.