Dear All,

This is with reference to Sunils invitation to members of the Chapters EC to help train the A2K team in Bangalore. A few clarifications from us:

1. Our Secretary was in touch with Sunil before he sent the clarifications to the list. We felt since its a CIS invitation, its better Sunil clarifies the issue and not us.

2. Our relations with Sunil and CIS are much older than A2K and our relations are cordial. That the invitation came directly from Sunil was a very important factor in our decision making.

3. Srikanth did say we will disclose if and when we do ever receive CIS funding for anything. The training is yet to take place and hence nothing was disclosed.

4. The EC never requested or expected any payment of fees nor was it offered anything of that sort for this training (apart from reimbursement of costs).

5. We are holding our board meeting while we will be in Bangalore. The decision was taken for cost effectiveness and Sunil is aware of this.

6. EC was planning to hold a F2F meeting in the third week of February. We would like to restate that it is purely a coincidence that both the activities happened to be on the same dates and both of us mutually decided to take advantage of this fact.




On behalf of Wikimedia India Chapter,
Karthik Nadar.
(Secretary, Wikimedia India Chapter)

On Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 12:29 PM, Sunil Abraham <sunil@mahiti.org> wrote:
Dear Abhishek,

CIS is not supporting travel expenses for Chapter EC meetings. Nor has
CIS provided funding to the Chapter so far from the Wikipedia grant.
CIS has provided in-kind support to the Chapter in previous financial
years for ex. society registration costs and the costs of their
financial adviser during their first financial year. We strongly
suppor

This month, we are reimbursing the Chapter EC travel and related
expenses because the Chapter EC has kindly consented to support a
training programme that CIS is organising for it's A2K team in
Bangalore. It is only happy coincidence that they were also organising
a meeting in Bangalore during those dates. I was not aware of this
when I reached out to the EC and asked for their support us.

Dear Friends,

In the first week of March, we hope to release a 6-monthly report of
the utilization of the grant so far. Usually we only provide an annual
consolidated report for all grants at the ledger group level. But for
this particular grant we will increase the degree of transparency to
address concerns of the community. If you have any suggestions on how
we should structure this report or if you have any further questions
about how CIS is spending the grant allocated do not hesitate to ask
me.

Best wishes,

Sunil



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Training of CIS-A2K team on 23 or 24 of February
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:48:42 +0530
From: Sunil Abraham <sunil@cis-india.org>
To: Wikimedia India EC <wikimedia-in-exec@lists.wikimedia.org>

Attn:
 Sudhanwa Jogalekar
 Karthik Nadar
 Anirudh Singh Bhati
 Nikita Belavate
 Pranav Curumsey
 Srikanth Ramakrishnan
 Viswa Prabha

Dear Members of the Wikimedia India EC,

Hope 2013 has gotten of to an excellent start for all of you.

CIS is organising a training for the A2K team on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th
of February in Bangalore. The new Programme Director - Vishnu Vardhan
will also be attending this event. We would like the EC to spend one day
training the team on a variety of issues. We would prefer if you opt for
either 23rd or the 24th as we have some other trainers that have
confirmed for the 22nd.

CIS will cover air travel and accommodation for all EC members. CIS will
also provide per diem for meals that are not provided during the
training. Unfortunately, we don't have a separate budget for fees.

This idea has been discussed with Anasuya Sengupta and Jessie Wild at
the Wikimedia Foundation and they have supported it.

Best wishes,

Sunil

On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 1:08 AM, Abhishek Suryawanshi
<i.abhishek.suryawanshi@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Dear Sunil,
>
> Could you please share information about CIS supporting Chapter Travel
> expenses?
>
> And Its nice and positive move, Great to see CIS continues to support
> movement in India.
> Volunteers can devote their time in doing activities and CIS can support as
> per request.
>
> As Chapter is shy/silent about acknowledging funding from CIS - Hope so your
> reply will clarify that CIS is there to support Chapter activities
> irrespective of criticism.
>
>
> Keep Supporting, Keep Inspiring! :)
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Abhishek Suryawanshi,
> On Behalf of Wikipedia Club Pune
>
>
>
>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ________________________________
>>> From: Srikanth Ramakrishnan <srik.ramk@wikimedia.in>
>>>
>>> To: Wikimedia India Community list <wikimediaindia-l@lists.wikimedia.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, 12 February 2013 11:31 PM
>>>
>>> Subject: Re: [Wikimediaindia-l] why to donate
>>>
>>> Membership under processing is differnt from memvership alreadt
>>> processed. INDI-31 is non existant and will remain so.
>>>
>>> As for CIS funding, you still havwn't said where you have got the
>>> "information" from.
>>> The Chapter has alwaya made things public and will xontinue to do so. If
>>> the CIS funds us, it will be madw public.
>>>
>>> n Tuesday, February 12, 2013, Abhishek Suryawanshi
>>> <i.abhishek.suryawanshi@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Dear Srikanth,
>>> > I appreciate you keep a check of the Chapter Membership List. But at
>>> > the same time I guess you will also respect the Chapter President's word. I
>>> > have had a talk with Sudhanwa (President,Wikimedia India Chapter) and just
>>> > two days back he informed me that my Chapter-membership is being proceed. I
>>> > would like you to have or increase your communications with other EC members
>>> > (or at-least with President) before claiming me or anybody else with
>>> > allegations such as a 'Cheat' :)
>>> >
>>> > P.S : How does it affects my query about CIS funding chapter's travel
>>> > for Board meeting or not ?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Regards,
>>> > Abhishek Suryawanshi,
>>> > On Behalf of Wikipedia Club Pune
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Tue, Feb 12, 2013 at 10:50 PM, Srikanth Ramakrishnan
>>> > <srik.ramk@wikimedia.in> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > Just to  inform you that Abhishek Suryawanshi, who claims to be a
>>> > Chapter Member with membership number INDI-31 is NOT a member. The
>>> > entry currently doesn't exist in our membership list. Mr. Suryawanshi
>>> > was a member of the Chapter during the earlier Financial Year and did
>>> > NOT renew his membership. I hope the community is now aware of what
>>> > kind of people it is dealing with.
>>> >
>>> > On 2/12/13, Abhishek Suryawanshi <i.abhishek.suryawanshi@gmail.com>
>>> > wrote:
>>> >> *@Karthik - *
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> *If you have a question, you can ask it in the form of a question *
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> Why Chapter is denying/ignoring fact flight tickets for members are
>>> >> covered
>>> >> by third party?
>>> >>
>>> >>  *instead **of making unsubstantiated claims on a public mailing
>>> >> list,*
>>> >>>
>>> >>
>>> >> Do you mean to say 'CIS is supporting' part is unsubstantiated? Then
>>> >> please
>>> >> state who is covering travel expenses?
>>> >>
>>> >> *which is frankly unproductive since it requires us to spend time to
>>> >> send
>>> >>> out clarifications.  *
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> Could you please elaborate 'unproductive' term and 'sending out
>>> >> clarification' part? What clarification is given? On contrary You are
>>> >> putting up efforts to blur whole situation.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> *@Sudhanwa - *
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> *> 2)Major Chapter Expenses such as Flight Tickets for AGM are covered
>>> >> by
>>> >>> CIS.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Absolutely wrong information you have go*t.
>>> >>>
>>> >>
>>> >> AGM word is wrong and Board Meeting is correct, right? Please correct
>>> >> if
>>> >> wrong.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> *> I am waiting for someone to answer simple query - How much money is
>>> >>> required
>>> >>> > for next year activities? and Which activities are planned?
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Grant requests are always on public wiki and the numbers are always
>>> >>> open to all for discussions. You will find these details in the
>>> >>> upcoming requests. Asaf has already indicated the same on the list.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> If you have any activities planned, please let us know. We will plan
>>> >>> the resources accordingly (budgets, people etc) Same request also
>>> >>> goes
>>> >>> to all the people in the community. Please let us know what you want
>>> >>> to do. We are here to support you in whatever best way we can. Do not
>>> >>> hesitate to ask for suppo*rt.
>>> >>>
>>> >>
>>> >> It seems you are missing out whole point, I am talking about fixed
>>> >> expenses
>>> >> and 'possible' activities. Like Board meeting travel expenses. Which
>>> >> can be
>>> >> covered and are (already) getting covered by third parties like CIS.
>>> >>
>>> >> So it makes more sense to spend volunteer efforts on outreach kind of
>>> >> activities than running for money? specially when third parties are
>>> >> interested in supporting financially?
>>> >>
>>> >> When CIS is wrong, there is hard criticism, and when they support
>>> >> financially - I guess there could be minimum acknowledgement?.
>>> >> I think CIS may help chapter to cover other expenses also if needed.
>>> >> So
>>> >> Chapter can focus on productive outreach and activities?
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> *@Dhaval - *
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> *> 1)Chapter is having 1.5 Lack+ Rupees in existing account. *
>>> >>>
>>> >>> *And what do you think could be done by that HUGE AMOUNT of 1.5+
>>> >>> Indian
>>> >>> Rupees?*
>>> >>>
>>> >>> *I think chapter has its office in Bangalore and based on my
>>> >>> experience,
>>> >>> I know that any property requires paying off few bills, e.g.
>>> >>> electricity,
>>> >>> water, property tax, tel/internet (if it has got) and these things
>>> >>> are
>>> >>> not
>>> >>> so cheap in Today's India as they were in my days of teen (20 years
>>> >>> ago).*
>>> >>>
>>> >>
>>> >> That is base amount, Someone from Chapter might be able to answer
>>> >> exact
>>> >> fixed expenses? Its always easy to find 'in-kind' donations as
>>> >> compared to
>>> >> cash. Its difficult specially when tax exemption is missing. And it
>>> >> might
>>> >> need extra efforts to run for money.
>>> >> And why? There are people/organization which are taking care of
>>> >> expenses
>>> >> already!
>>> >>
>>> >> These expenses can be covered easily if there is clarity on 'what is
>>> >> needed'.
>>> >>
>>> >> I have already explained 'in-kind' donation concept, Please see :
>>> >> http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia
>>> >
>>>
>>> --
>>> Srikanth Ramakrishnan
>>> Member of the Executive Committee
>>> Wikimedia Chapter [India]
>>>
>>> Donate to the Wikimedia India Chapter today
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>

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