[Wikimediaindia-l] [Press]: The Hindu : "India is No.6 in donating to Wikipedia"

[CherianTinu Abraham]

*The Hindu : "India is No.6 in donating to Wikipedia"*
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article1551986.ece
(National story)

*Anyone who has used Wikipedia in the last few years would have noted a
banner at the top of the page appealing for donations by Wikipedia
co-founder Jimmy Wales. One wondered who responded to such requests. Now,
the Wikimedia Foundation says that in 2010, India ranked sixth in the list
of countries from where individuals have donated amounts to the Wikipedia
Foundation.*
*
*
*According to the Foundation, of which Wikipedia is a part, people in India
donated more than $193,000 (Rs. 87.33 lakh) in 2010. India is preceded only
by the United States with $10,038,417 (Rs. 45.42 crore), Canada with $
893,470 (Rs. 4.04 crore), Japan with $500,182 (Rs. 2.26 crore), Spain with $
323,285 (Rs. 1.46 crore) and the United Kingdom with $ 207,157 (Rs. 93.74
lakh). Trailing behind India is Belgium with $162 (Rs. 7,322). These amounts
do not include donations made by the country chapters of Wikipedia, which
help in local fund-raising. They are purely contributions made by
individuals directly to Wikipedia. In fact, India's Wikipedia chapter is in
the process of being formed.*
*
*
*“Imagine a website that appears within the top five websites in the world,
which runs on just 60 full time employees. Compare it with other top
websites. Isn't it great?” said Cherian Tinu Abraham, a Bangalore-based
technology professional and Wikipedia administrator. (
http://www.alexa.com/topsites shows Wikipedia as one of top 10 websites.)*
*
*
*Wikipedian [one who writes and edits the pages for Wikipedia unlike readers
who merely read the articles] Arun Ram said, “I think the increased
contributions from India this year is a welcome development. It is due to
the very visible banner campaign on the main page, which had excellent
recall amongst users.”*
*
*
*Other factors for India's response include increased awareness with
extensive media coverage this year of various (Wikipedia-related) events,
visits, and meet ups. Plus, there has been the speculation over an India
office.*
*
*
*A look at the number of donors shows that the number of donors from India
has been increasing steadily over the past few years. In 2007, India ranked
18 with $12,532 (Rs. 5.67 lakh) from 583 donors. In 2008, it ranked 15 with
$38,776 (Rs. 17.55 lakh) from 1759 donors. In 2009, India ranked 16 with
$52,156 (Rs. 23.60 lakh) from 2956 donors.*
*
*
*Sreekanth R, a Chennai-based software engineer, who has been using the
Wikipedia for six years, said he was motivated to contribute to Wikipedia
after seeing Jimmy Wales's appeal in Wikipedia. “I instantly felt like
contributing to Wikipedia as it is useful. Anyone can access it for free and
there are no advertisements. It is much better than donating to a temple. It
selflessly serves more people than anything else I know," he said.*
*
*
*Mr. Abraham, who edits Wikipedia, said that it appeared to him it was more
readers than Wikipedia editors who have donated to the Foundation*


Regards
Tinu Cherian
http://wikimedia.in/wiki/In_the_news
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