Dear Bodhisattwa, Tanmay and Soni,
First of all, sincere apologies for the delay in replying back with specific
answers/clarifications.
We really appreciate you all for reading our plans and taking time out to provide
feedback. I would like to explain our FLA strategy in response to your question and hope
that clarifies as to why our engagement with Bangla community has been at a different
level. The Focus Language Area (FLA) structure does have a limited number of Indian
languages. This definitely does not mean that we do not engage or work with other Indian
Languages. However due to limitations of budget and human resources our interaction and
involvement with other Indian language communities is far lesser than we would have wished
it to be.
Given below are some of the reasons that have shaped our selection of FLA
(
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CIS-A2K/Work_plan_July_2015_-_June_2016#Lan…):
1. Deepening the work. We have decided to continue our work in the language areas chosen
last year as we believe that we need to deepen our work to ensure that the momentum we
have built will be sustained even after our exit.
2. Networking of institutions and groups. The A2K team has put together a list of
knowledge institutions, groups and individuals with whom it has developed connections and
believes that it can bring them into the Wikimedia movement. These collaborations will not
only result in significant quality-content contributions, but will lead to the
diversification and expansion of that particular language Wikimedia community. CIS-A2K
intends to broaden the reach of Indian language Wikimedia projects by expanding the
intended and target audience.
3. Familiarity of the A2K team members with the language. Each of us are editors/can edit
or at least read the discussions in most of the above language Wikipedias. This has given
us an insider's perspective of what is happening in that particular language community
and the Wikimedia projects.
We do see the possibility of taking up more languages as we are planning to exit from the
existing FLAs. A2K would like to withdraw our programmatic support from the current FLAs
when those communities manage to sustain on their own.
When we will take up new languages?
We are planning to engage with non-FLA Indic languages using consultations and surveys
during this plan year (2016-17) to see where our support could add value. These
consultations and surveys along with community guidance would help A2K decide new FLA
partnerships.
Best!
Subha
----- Original Message -----
From: "TANMAY BIR" <tanmaybir(a)gmail.com
To: "Wikimedians in and from West Bengal, India"
<wikimedia-in-wb(a)lists.wikimedia.org
Sent: Wednesday, April 6, 2016 9:06:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Wikimedia-in-WB] CIS-A2K workplan for 2016-17
you are most welcome
*তন্ময় বীর *
* (TANMAY BIR) *
*http://tanmaybir.blogspot.in/ <http://tanmaybir.blogspot.in/>*
*http://sarsunacollege.academia.edu/DrTanmayBir
<http://sarsunacollege.academia.edu/DrTanmayBir> *
*http://sarsunacollege.ac.in/ <http://sarsunacollege.ac.in/>*
*https://sites.google.com/site/nsbdsc/nirbacita-prabandha-sankalana
<https://sites.google.com/site/nsbdsc/nirbacita-prabandha-sankalana>*
*উইকিপিডিয়া:বাংলা_উইকিপিডিয়ার_দশম_প্রতিষ্ঠাবার্ষিকী/কমিটি
<
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Bengali_Wikipedia_10th_Anniversary_Celebrat…
*
উইকিপিডিয়া:কর্মশালা/বিদ্যাসাগর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়
<
https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%89%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AA…
* Skype id: tanmay.bir
On Wed, Apr 6, 2016 at 7:32 PM, Subhashish Panigrahi <
subhashish(a)cis-india.org> wrote:
> Dear Bodhisattwa, Tanmay and Soni,
> Thank you so much for sharing feedback and
concerns. We really value
> your feedback and are discussing about the same. We will get back to you
> all soon.
> best,
> subha
> On 4/3/2016 9:53 PM, Soni wrote:
> > Completely agreed with both Tanmay and Bodhisattwa. We must not have any
> > discrimination towards or against any of the language Wikis on our
> country,
> > especially such a large one.
>
> > Another language that has been clearly
excluded is English. Even though
> > there are many English speakers in the country and it will be among the
> > first languages for outreach programs in schools and colleges across the
> > country, the language has been completely excluded from all outreach
> > programs and budgets from the CIS. This is not acceptable for the future
> of
> > Wikimedia in India
>
> > Regards,
> > Soni
>
> > User:Soni
>
> > On Sun, Apr 3, 2016 at 11:22 AM,
TANMAY BIR <tanmaybir(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> i do fully agree with mr.
bodhisattwa mondal. as the second largest in
> >> india and the fifth largest language over the world bengali language
> >> should get more and more importance from the CIS-A2K. if bengali wiki
> >> community get the right opportunity they will make a revolution in
> >> knowledge world, i belief it from my heart. go ahead bodhi, place your
> >> justified demand ...
> >
> >> *তন্ময়
বীর *
> >> * (TANMAY BIR) *
> >
> >>
*http://tanmaybir.blogspot.in/ <http://tanmaybir.blogspot.in/>*
> >
> >>
*http://sarsunacollege.academia.edu/DrTanmayBir
> >> <http://sarsunacollege.academia.edu/DrTanmayBir> *
> >
> >>
*http://sarsunacollege.ac.in/ <http://sarsunacollege.ac.in/>*
> >
> >>
*https://sites.google.com/site/nsbdsc/nirbacita-prabandha-sankalana
> >> <https://sites.google.com/site/nsbdsc/nirbacita-prabandha-sankalana>*
> >> *উইকিপিডিয়া:বাংলা_উইকিপিডিয়ার_দশম_প্রতিষ্ঠাবার্ষিকী/কমিটি
> >> <
> >
> >
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Bengali_Wikipedia_10th_Anniversary_Celebrat…
> >> *
> >
> >>
উইকিপিডিয়া:কর্মশালা/বিদ্যাসাগর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়
> >> <
> >
> >
>
https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%89%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AA…
> >> * Skype id: tanmay.bir
> >
> >> On Sat,
Apr 2, 2016 at 7:45 PM, Bodhisattwa Mandal <
> >> bodhisattwa.rgkmc(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >>>
Hi,
> >>
> >>>
CIS-A2K is allocating huge amount of budget on only five Indian
> >> languages.
> >>> I dont know how other language communities, including my own Bengali,
> >> will
> >>> provide feedback on that. We do not fall in the so-called Focused
> >> Language
> >>> Area (FLA) of CIS-A2K and our feedback dont matter at all.
> >>
> >>> CIS
has been requesting millions of dollars from WMF every year on
> their
> >>> so-called 5 focused language areas and doing all kind of propaganda
> about
> >>> their so-called progress, in social media, blogs and meta, sometimes
> >>> claiming volunteer events as their own success. Still I can say, that
> >> other
> >>> non-FLA volunteer Indian communities, including Bengali, are working
> >>> on-wiki silently on their own without any/very little monetary or
> >>> organizational support and progressing a lot more than funded Wikimedia
> >>> projects and I am proud of that as a community member.
> >>
> >>> As
India is not a country of only 5 languages, this Focused language
> >>> concept is completely faulty to me and this shows clear discrimination
> to
> >>> other language communities.
> >>
> >>>
Regards,
> >>> Bodhisattwa
> >>
> >>> On
2 April 2016 at 16:56, Tito Dutta <trulytito(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>>>
Hello,
> >>>> We want to inform you that CIS-A2K team has submitted workplan and
> >>> proposal
> >>>> for the year 2016-2017. These are the details:
> >>>
> >>>>
- Link to Workplan :
> >>>
> >>
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CIS-A2K/Work_plan_July_2016_-_June_2017
> >>>> - Link to proposal :
> >>>
> >>>
> >
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:APG/Proposals/2015-2016_round2/The_C…
> >>>> - Link to strategic plan :
> >>>
> >>>
> >
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CIS-A2K/Strategic_plan_June_2016_-_July_2018
> >>>> - Link to budget :
> >>>
> >>>
> >
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CIS-A2K/Work_plan_July_2016_-_June_2017/Bud…
> >>>
> >>>>
Please provide your valuable feedback here:
> >>>> Regards
> >>>> Tito Dutta
> >>>> Programme Associate
> >>>> CIS-A2K
> >>>>