Thanks for the additional clarity.
Now it's my turn to clarify: in "other groups", I meant other organized
groups of Wikimedia volunteers in India, not other chapters (which are all
outside India). Perhaps not everyone reading this list is aware, so let me
be specific:
Leaving outside thematic groups that may or may not have members in India,
such as the Digitization User Group, the Wikimaps user group, or the
Wikimedia LGBT User Group, reviewing the list of recognized user groups I
count *nine* groups based in India:
Hindi Wikimedians User Group [1]
Wikimedians of Kerala User Group [2]
Marathi Wikimedians User Group [3]
Wikimedians of India technical user group [4]
Karavali Wikimedians user group [5]
Maithili Wikimedians user group [6]
Punjabi Wikimedians user group [7]
Odia Wikimedians User Group [8]
West Bengal Wikimedians user group [9]
Each of these groups is active in its field (language, state, technology),
but none of them, I think, is able to plan work on a national scale, or is
a suitable representative for the diverse Wikimedia communities in India
vis-a-vis the Government of India and other national-level potential
partners. That is what led me to wonder what the chapter's current
thinking is on the matter. I certainly understand the unfortunate
financial strictures imposed by the GoI are greatly limiting the chapter's
ability to act, and I appreciate your candor in stating there isn't
currently a clear plan, given the scarcity of resources and uncertainty.
I do think that *if and when* resources are found, the chapter would do
well to plan activities that *only* national-level entities like the
chapter or CIS-A2K can pursue.
As for my own involvement, I am in intermittent contact with several groups
and volunteers in India, and am happy to help in any way I can on an ad-hoc
basis. More intensive investment needs more planning, and I am happy to
discuss needs and opportunities with all the groups in India, including the
chapter. (I most recently visited India about 7 months ago, giving
trainings in Amritsar, Vijayawada, and Mumbai.)
Cheers,
A.
[1]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Hindi_Wikimedians_User_G…
[2]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedians_of_Kerala_Us…
[3]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Marathi_Wikimedians
[4]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedians_of_India_tec…
[5]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Karavali_Wikimedians
[6]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Maithili_Wikimedians
[7]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Punjabi_Wikimedians
[8]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Odia_Wikimedians_User_Gr…
[9]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/West_Bengal_Wikimedians
On Fri, Jun 14, 2019 at 4:10 PM Abhinav srivastava <abhinav619(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
Dear Asaf(WMF),
Glad you read the reports.
Chapter is committed to taking the Open Knowledge Movement Forward.
Improve, Enhance, Develop and Build/Re-Build for a better diversity,
equity, capacity, content appropriateness, partnership etc. If your
question relates to immediate and a detailed plan which requires rounds of
community conversations, assessments, views from the unheard and other
cycles to follow, things have not progressed that fast. Reasons as stated,
funds and also importantly, framing a multi-year plan at the moment may
require careful review of developments at Movement Strategy and Brand
Developments. Also need to discuss and take CIS-A2K in tandem so that the
mission remains aligned for everyone in India.
I am sorry but couldn't understand the last few words in the last
statement, " With many communities and several user groups, I think it
would be useful to learn what *the chapter* would like to do, given its
national mandate, and where it *might need help from other groups*. "
If it concerns other Chapters, YES, we communicate and learn from them.
I am glad we already started working together to take the Chapter and
Indian Community Ahead :) I would be curious and also eager to know on
where would you like to be associated with the Chapter. I understand, you
are a Staff Member and your mandate is to assist community in
administration and not *running the movement as a decision maker*, however,
since we are discussing on a public platform you may like to offer support
somewhere, say - running Wikidata Workshop (maybe online) etc. This would
help community in their decision making.
Looking forward to hearing.
Abhinav
On Fri, 14 Jun 2019 at 17:57, Asaf Bartov <abartov(a)wikimedia.org> wrote:
Thanks for this information. I have read the
previous report, and look
forward to the next one.
Is there also some kind of plan or strategy by the chapter, to give the
community an idea of what agenda the chapter is pursuing at the national
level? With many communities and several user groups, I think it would be
useful to learn what *the chapter* would like to do, given its national
mandate, and where it might need help from other groups.
Cheers,
A.
On Fri, Jun 14, 2019 at 12:02 PM Abhinav srivastava <abhinav619(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
Dear User : Asaf(WMF),
Writing as per [1], I am taking the discussion forward here to a
separate thread.
As stated before on this mailing thread [2], Wikimedia India (WMIN) has
been undergoing activities and reporting them on quarterly basis. The
subsequent quarterly results would be shared once the next quarter
finishes. The subsequent quarterly report would be published in a changed
formed based on suggestions received from the community [3]. Activities may
be less due to no source of regular funds [4] however, Community Members
from India put their efforts, strive hard to take the movement ahead. No
Wikimedia Foundation Grants like Rapid Grant, Project Grant etc have been
applied by WMIN members to support any Chapter activity. They remain
self-financed.
WMIN is compliant with the reporting and the said could be attained from
Chapter's Report page on Meta. However, there are few issues with the
Affiliations Committee and the said have been communicated on WMIN
Members-Mailing on May 15th. 2019. WMIN has requested Affiliations
Committee to allow us to be more transparent by (a) Taking the conversation
over Meta (b) Uploading All Mails Over A Cloud Document To Share It with a
wider audience (c) Uploading All PDFs sent over mail to Commons etc.
User: Asaf(WMF), thank you for the wishes, let's work together, take the
Chapter and Indian Community ahead. :)
Regards,
Abhinav
[1]
https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaindia-l/2019-June/014131.html
[2]
https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaindia-l/2019-April/013994.ht…
[3]
https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaindia-l/2019-April/014021.ht…
[4] Foreign Currency (Regulation) Act, 1960 compliance do not permit
India Chapter to receive money from its primary fiscal sponsor,
Wikimedia Foundation.
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--
Asaf Bartov
Wikimedia Foundation <http://www.wikimediafoundation.org>
Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the
sum of all knowledge. Help us make it a reality!
https://donate.wikimedia.org
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To unsubscribe from the list / change mailing preferences visit
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--
Asaf Bartov
Wikimedia Foundation <http://www.wikimediafoundation.org>
Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the
sum of all knowledge. Help us make it a reality!
https://donate.wikimedia.org