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<p>Dear all,</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Here is the A2K newsletter for the month of February, 2013.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span>Wikimedia Foundation, beginning from September 1, 2012, awarded the Centre for Internet & Society (CIS) a two-year grant of INR 26,000,000 to support and develop free knowledge in India. Consequently, Wikimedia Foundation’s India Program became the <a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan"><span style="color: #000000;">Access to Knowledge (A2K) program</span></a> of CIS. In the second issue of our newsletter for 2013, we are glad to introduce you to our new programme officer, <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/people/our-team"><span style="color: #000000;">Dr. U.B. Pavanaja</span></a>. The <a title="Access To Knowledge/Team" href="http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Access_To_Knowledge/Team"><span style="color: #000000;">A2K team</span></a> consists of four members based in Delhi: <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/people/our-team"><span style="color: #000000;">T. Vishnu Vardhan</span></a>, <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team"><span style="color: #000000;">Nitika Tandon</span></a>, <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team"><span style="color: #000000;">Subhashish Panigrahi</span></a> and <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team"><span style="color: #000000;">Noopur Raval</span></a>, and one new team member <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/people/our-team"><span style="color: #000000;">Dr. U.B. Pavanaja</span></a> who works from Bangalore office. Archives of our newsletters are <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters"><span style="color: #000000;">here</span></a>.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;">Wikipedians from various communities can request for outreach programs, technical bugs, logistics-merchandize and media, public relations and communications at <a href="http://bit.ly/TOcXId"><span style="color: #000000;">http://bit.ly/TOcXId</span></a>.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"># New Team Member</span></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/about/people/our-team"><span style="color: #000000;">Dr. U.B. Pavanaja</span></a> joined the A2K team as Programme Officer, India Language Initiatives on March 4, 2013. Dr. Pavanaja holds a Master’s degree from Mysore University and Ph.D. from Mumbai University. He was a scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, for about 15 years. He is one of the oldest editors of Kannada Wikipedia. He has to his credit many firsts, viz., first Kannada website, first Kannada online magazine, first Indian language (Kannada) website to receive Golden Web Award, first Indian language (Kannada) editor for Palm OS, first Indian language (Kannada) editor for WinCE device (HP Jornado 720), first Indian language version (Kannada) of universally popular Logo (programming language for children) software, etc. His Kannada logo won the Manthan Award for the year 2006. He was a member of the technical advisory committee setup by the Govt. of Karnataka for Standardization of Kannada on Computers (2000). He is also a member of the Kannada Software Committee of Govt. of Karnataka (2008-current). </span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"># Events Organised by CIS</span></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/openness/blog/creative-commons-comes-to-india"><span style="color: #000000;">Creative Commons comes to India</span></a> (Chitrakala Parishad, Bangalore, February 1, 2013). Meetings were held in Pune and Bangalore. The Access to Knowledge team participated in two meetings organized in Bangalore.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/openness/events/knowledge-sharing-through-glam"><span style="color: #000000;">Knowledge Sharing through GLAM at Bangalore</span></a>(Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad, Kumara Krupa Road, Bangalore, February 25, 2013). Dr. U.B. Pavanaja, Nitika Tandon and Subhashish Panigrahi participated in the event.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/openness/blog/fifty-fourth-bangalore-wikimedia-meetup"><span style="color: #000000;">Fifty-fourth Bangalore Wikimedia Meet-up at IIM, Bangalore</span></a> (co-organized with Radhakrishna Arvapally, Special Interest Group, Solutions IQ and Wikimedia India Chapter, Indian Institute of Management, February 25, 2013). Vishnu Vardhan gave a talk on accessibility and knowledge. Noopur Raval participated in the event.</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"># Event Participated</span></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/openness/blog/foss-wikimedia-under-one-roof-gnunify"><span style="color: #000000;">GNUnify 2013</span></a> (organized by Pune Linux/Unix User Group and Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies & Research, Pune, February 15 – 17, 2013). Subhashish Panigrahi participated in the event.</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"># Education Program</span></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/openness/blog/odia-wikipedia-education-program-iimc-dhenkanal"><span style="color: #000000;">Odia Wikipedia Community Brings Wikipedia Education Program to IIMC, Dhenkanal</span></a> (by Subhashish Panigrahi, February 28, 2013). </span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"># Event Reports</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;">CIS organised one Wiki workshop in the month of February 2013, and also brings you the report from an event organised in the month of January:</span></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/openness/blog/celebrating-odia-wikipedias-ninth-anniversary"><span style="color: #000000;">Celebrating Odia Wikipedia's Ninth Anniversary</span></a> (organized by the Odia Wiki Community with support from CIS and Academy for Media Learning, January 29, 2013, Bhubaneswar). Few glimpses of the event are available as an audio podcast.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/openness/blog/digital-literacy-workshop"><span style="color: #000000;">Digital Literacy Workshop at Department of Arts, Delhi University</span></a> (by Nitika Tandon, February 5, 2013).</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"># Media Coverage</span></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://odishan.com/?p=2534"><span style="color: #000000;">ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଉଇକିପିଡ଼ିଆର ନବମ ଜନ୍ମତିଥି ଅବସରରେ କର୍ମଶାଳା: ଇମିଡ଼ିଆରେ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଭାଷାର ପ୍ରୟୋଗ</span></a> (Odishan.com, February 4, 2013).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><strong>ସମ୍ବାଦ</strong><strong>:</strong><a href="http://sambadepaper.com/Details.aspx?id=36615&boxid=23625437"><span style="color: #000000;"><em><strong> </strong></em>ଲିପି ବ୍ୟାକରଣ ଓ ମାନକ ଭାଷାର ପ୍ରୟୋଗ ଜରୁରୀ</span></a>. (Sambad, February, 2013).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.eindiadiary.com/content/odisha-workshop-organized-9th-anniversary-odia-language-application-odia-language-e-media"><span style="color: #000000;">Odisha: Workshop organized on 9th Anniversary of Odia language: Application of Odia language in e-media</span></a> (e India Bureau, March 2, 2013).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://news.fullorissa.com/odia-wikipedias-9th-anniversary/"><span style="color: #000000;">Odia Wikipedia’s 9th anniversary</span></a> (fullOrissa News, February 13, 2013).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://indiaeducationdiary.in/Orissa/Shownews.asp?newsid=19485"><span style="color: #000000;">Odisha: Workshop organized on 9th Anniversary of Odia language: Application of Odia language in e-media</span></a> (India Education Diary.com, March 2, 2013). Subhashish Panigrahi is quoted.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.odishaviews.com/odia-language-workshop-organized-on-9th-anniversary-of-odia-wikipedia-application-of-odia-language-in-e-media/"><span style="color: #000000;">Odia language workshop organized on 9th Anniversary of Odia Wikipedia: Application of Odia language in e-media</span></a> (Odishaviews.com, February 5, 2013). Subhashish Panigrahi is quoted.</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"># Ongoing Events</span></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/openness/events/wikipedia-workshop-bits-goa"><span style="color: #000000;">Wikipedia Workshop @ BITS Goa</span></a> (BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus, March 7, 2013, 5.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/openness/events/wikipedia-editing-workshop-in-goa"><span style="color: #000000;">A Wikipedia Editing Workshop in Goa</span></a> (Nirmala Institute of Education, Goa, March 8, 2013, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.).</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"># Announcement</span></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><a href="http://cis-india.org/news/sanskrit-wikiquote"><span style="color: #000000;">Sanskrit Wikiquote — Now Available</span></a>!: The Access to Knowledge team at CIS is happy to announce the availability of Sanskrit Wikiquote. Shiju Alex, an ex-team member played an active role in bringing this out. For more info see <a href="http://bit.ly/Y9OY9R"><span style="color: #000000;">http://bit.ly/Y9OY9R</span></a>.<strong> <br /></strong></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;">*<a href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/"><span style="color: #000000;">About CIS</span></a>*</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;">CIS was registered as a society in Bangalore in 2008. As an independent, non-profit research organisation, it runs different policy research programmes such as Accessibility, Access to Knowledge, Openness, Internet Governance, and Telecom. The policy research programmes have resulted in outputs such as the <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/advocacy/accessibility/blog/e-accessibility-handbook"><span style="color: #000000;">e-Accessibility Policy Handbook for Persons with Disabilities</span></a> with ITU and G3ict, and <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/digital-natives/front-page/blog/dnbook"><span style="color: #000000;">Digital Alternatives with a Cause?</span></a>, <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/digital-natives/front-page/blog/position-papers"><span style="color: #000000;">Thinkathon Position Papers</span></a> and the <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/digital-natives/front-page/blog/digital-natives-with-a-cause-a-report"><span style="color: #000000;">Digital Natives with a Cause? Report</span></a> with Hivos, etc. We have conducted policy research for the Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, etc., on <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/a2k/blog/cis-analysis-july2011-treaty-print-disabilities"><span style="color: #000000;">WIPO Treaties</span></a>, <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/a2k/blog/analysis-copyright-amendment-bill-2012"><span style="color: #000000;">Copyright Bill</span></a>, <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/internet-governance/front-page/blog/cis-feedback-to-nia-bill"><span style="color: #000000;">NIA Bill</span></a>, etc. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;">CIS is accredited as an observer at WIPO. CIS staff participates in the Standing Committee for Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) meetings regularly held in Geneva, and participate in the discussions and comments on them from a public interest perspective. Our Policy Director, Nirmita Narasimhan won the <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/accessibility/blog/national-award"><span style="color: #000000;">National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities</span></a> from the Government of India and also received the <a href="http://cis-india.org/about/news/nirmita-nivh-award"><span style="color: #000000;">NIVH Excellence Award</span></a>.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;">*Follow us elsewhere*</span></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
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</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;">*Support Us*</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;">Please help us defend consumer / citizen rights on the Internet! Write a cheque in favour of ‘The Centre for Internet and Society’ and mail it to us at No. 194, 2nd ‘C’ Cross, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Bengaluru – 5600 71. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;">*Request for Collaboration*</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;">We invite researchers, practitioners, and theoreticians, both organisationally and as individuals, to collaboratively engage with Internet and society and improve our understanding of this new field. To discuss the research collaborations, write to Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, at <a href="mailto:sunil@cis-india.org"><span style="color: #000000;">sunil@cis-india.org</span></a> or Nishant Shah, Director – Research, at <a href="mailto:nishant@cis-india.org"><span style="color: #000000;">nishant@cis-india.org</span></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><em>CIS is grateful to its donors, Wikimedia Foundation, Ford Foundation, Privacy International, UK, Hans Foundation and the Kusuma Trust which was founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin, for its core funding and support for most of its projects.</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Thank you,</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Noopur Raval <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; color: #000000;"><em></em></span></p>
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