Universal Code of Conduct/Coordinating Committee/Election/2024/Candidates/BHARATHESHA ALASANDEMAJALU

Account BHARATHESHA ALASANDEMAJALU (talk meta edits global user summary CA)
Candidate details
  • Languages: Tulu, Kannada, English, Hindi, Malayalam, Arebhashe
  • Region: South Asia
  • Active wikis: Wikipedia + Wikicommons+ Wiktionary
  • Wikimedian since: 2015
Selected home wiki Tulu Wikipedia
Type of seat (regional; community-at-large; or both) (division of regional seats) South Asia
Candidate Introduction
Introductory statement / Application summary (maximum 200 words): Why are you running for the Universal Code of Conduct Coordinating Committee? What would you contribute? I am Tulu Wikimedian, hailing from Karnataka, India. I'm a mechanical engineer with two years of project engineering experience in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, currently employed at a nationalized bank. Appointed by the Government of Karnataka, India, as a member of the Karnataka State Arebhashe Academy, I served for three years, contributing to the development of the Arebhashe Dictionary and Encyclopedia to preserve the linguistic heritage of the Arebhashe community. Now, I'm excited to nominate myself for the Universal Code of Conduct Coordinating Committee, aiming to promote inclusivity and safety in the SAARC Region community. As a candidate from the SAARC region, I'll directly address cultural barriers by facilitating open discussions and empowering individuals to voice concerns. My dedication to bridging cultural divides uniquely positions me to advocate for the effective implementation of the Universal Code of Conduct.
Please describe your Wikimedia experience (such as contributions to the Wikimedia projects, memberships in Wikimedia organizations or affiliates, experience working on conduct issues in your community, activities as a Wikimedia movement organizer, or participation in building Wikimedia policies). * As an Organized Movement Charter Ambassador, I facilitate understanding of the Wikimedia Movement 2030 and translate content into Tulu, enriching linguistic diversity. I actively engage with differing opinions and challenges, fostering collaborative dialogue and growth.
  • Sysop for Tulu Wikipedia
  • I am working on the Tulu Wiktionary, which is in the incubator stage.
  • I serve as an Executive Member of the Karavali Wikimedia User Group, contributing to strategic decision-making and community development. As a Founder member of Tulu Wikipedia, I am deeply committed to its growth and vitality, serving as a sysop and ensuring its smooth operation.
  • I regularly contribute photographs to Wiki Commons, with a special focus on capturing cultural and living heritage, promoting cross-cultural exchange. I have organized numerous workshops, events, and themed competitions within the Tulu community, fostering a sense of belonging and participation.
  • I initiated monthly meetings within the Tulu community to raise awareness and encourage active involvement in the Wikimedia Movement.
  • Co-directed a documentary in Tulu language, supported by the Wikimedia Foundation, which has been nominated in various film festivals, amplifying the visibility of Tulu culture on a global scale.
Professional Experience, Skills and Education
Please briefly describe 3 situations that show how you worked on, or advised others on, a complex conduct or policy issue. How did you work with others to address the situations? * Realizing the importance of understanding cultural differences and how they affect our behavior and rules, I arranged workshops about cultural sensitivity. These workshops brought together people from different backgrounds, including locals. We talked about the many complexities of having diverse cultures and came up with ways to make sure our rules and behavior include and respect everyone.
  • Working with volunteers and language experts, I initiated a campaign for the full adoption of the Kannada script for writing Tulu articles and promoting the widespread use of the most common Tulu language. This campaign plays a significant role in facilitating understanding community members and utilization of the script used in the language
  • I encountered a challenging conduct issue where community members were experiencing harassment from external sources, including legal threats. To address this, I actively engaged in intercommunity discussions to raise awareness about the situation and garner support for the affected members. I shared insights and information about the harassment incidents to foster empathy and understanding within the community, and I discussed the situation with members of other communities, AffCom, and WMF members.
Leadership Experience
Can you describe a policy, on wiki or off, that you helped to create or change? What did you learn from this experience? As an Organized Movement Charter Ambassador and a take part of the Karavali Wikimedia User Group, I've helped make rules especially in projects like Tulu Wikipedia. Together, we pushed for fairer guidelines that understand the special hurdles faced by local language projects. This experience showed me how strong community support and fair rules can really make a difference.
How have you been able to empower people to make their voices heard? Actively engaging with community members, especially those from underrepresented or marginalized groups, I've worked to create platforms where they feel comfortable expressing their opinions and concerns.

As an Organized Movement Charter Ambassador, I promote understanding of the Wikimedia Movement 2030 and translate content into Tulu, enhancing linguistic diversity. I actively engage with diverse feedback, compile and challenges from community members, documenting and addressing them.

The South Asia Open Community Call had a high attendance, where issues faced by the community were discussed.

Presented various initiatives undertaken by our community on the conference platform.


I initiated monthly meetings within the Tulu community to raise awareness and encourage active involvement in the Wikimedia Movement, empowering individuals to make their voices heard.

Sometimes in professional situations, there are personality conflicts. Explain how you remain productive even with personality conflicts. In professional clashes, I listen carefully to others, understanding their views to find common ground. I empathize by considering their feelings and motives, fostering collaboration. If there's a problem, I step up to talk about it openly, help find a solution, or suggest a compromise if necessary.
Strategic Thinking
In your opinion, how can the U4C be a positive influence in the Wikimedia movement? I believe the U4C approach can really make a difference in the Wikimedia movement. It's all about working together and understanding each other's ideas. By listening, caring about how others feel, and finding solutions through talking and compromise, we can create a more inclusive and cooperative community.
How would you help the Universal Code of Conduct develop and improve over time? I am proficient in languages such as Tulu, Kannada, English, Hindi, and Malayalam, which would be beneficial for understanding the SAARC Contest.

Actively engage in discussions, surveys, and feedback mechanisms provided by the UCoC drafting and implementation teams. Offering constructive feedback based on my experience and insights can help identify areas for enhancement.

Advocate for the involvement of diverse perspectives, including those from marginalized communities, in the drafting and revision processes.

Organize and participate in community discussions, workshops, and training sessions focused on understanding and implementing the UCoC.