Elections 2016/Nominations/Mourya Biswas

Nomination form for Wikimedia Chapter Executive Committee Elections-2016 

(To be initiated by Proposer and updated by Seconder and the Candidate wishing to contest for Election and submitted as per the due date)

Proposal details
Name of the candidate: Mourya Biswas

Membership ID (can be updated by Candidate later): INDI-654

Member Since (can be updated by Candidate later): 2016

(As per Wikimedia Chapter by-laws, a Member for election to Executive Committee should have been member for at least 3 months before the date of the meeting of the AGM/Election).

Proposer:

Name: Krishna Chaitanya Velaga

Signature(Use Wiki Signature): Krishna Chaitanya Velaga (talk) 19:28, 23 March 2017 (IST)

Membership ID: INDI-796

Seconder:

Name:Jayanta Nath

Signature(Use Wiki Signature):Jayanta Nath (talk) 00:55, 24 March 2017 (IST)

Membership ID:INDI62

Acceptance by the Candidate
Short Profile* (including past involvement in Wikimedia activities in not more than 100 words):

I am a nineteen year old wikipedian with primary contributions to the Bengali Wikipedia. Bengali like most of the Indic languages is not sufficiently represented on Wikipedia. Determined to improve Bengali (along with other Indic language) Wikipedias, I started contributing to my home-wiki, bn.wiki a little less than three years ago and it has been a thoroughly pleasant journey since. I am an undergraduate Engineering student and hence naturally tech-savvy but my experiences being a Wikipedia editor made me realize that for Indic Language Wikipedias to prosper one of the most important things that need to be done was to make people aware of the existence of the World's Largest Free encyclopedia in the majority of Indic languages and to actually subsequently help people contribute in their own ways for the growth of them. In India, not everybody is "computer literate" and some of the very best writers, literature laureates or Teachers are hesitant to use computers and/or other electronic devices and adopt new technologies. Having recognized this I decided to enrich my home-wiki community by working offline besides editing Wikipedia regularly online. Being one from the student communtiy with no professional commitments I have more time than others in my community to devote in to expanding and strengthening my community. Therefore I started by participating in a few Local Wiki Gatherings of not only my Language Wikipedia Community but also took part in Meetups of another Language Wikipedia community (a language in which I was well-versed) to have deeper insights. Soon I organized my own Meetup. I interact with a lot of people and spread the idea of Wikimedia to them and ask them to edit and help building my language Wikipedia. In the past, I've also acted and contributed as a Language coordinator for Bengali for online editathons and Photography contest of the Wikimedia India Chapter. Some of the things that came out of my efforts satisfied my community and myself amply. I intend to always share the best editing practices and other inputs that I gain from Wiki-related programs that I attend; among contributors working in Indic language projects. Testimony to this are some of the editors from bn.wiki, te.wiki and en.wiki. I believe these sharing and exchange of ideas go a long way towards a strong Wikipedia community building and needless to say is one of the best practices. I invited a handful of new people who were in touch with me over Internet; who were interested to contribute and volunteer for Bengali Wikipedia to bn.wiki Training Workshop and then to later Meetups. I have delivered talks on Wikipedia and the positive impact it has at many places apart from personally getting in touch with people hailing from diverse professional backgrounds and made them aware of Wikipedia and the importance of editing Wikipedia. Some of them committed to writing new articles, editing, adding images and contributing in ways that suited them and 'am happy to note that they are now actively engaging in improving Wikipedia. In the future I plan to conduct many more Outreach programs like Learning events, Offline Editathons, inter-Community Meetups and plan on harnessing the contacts and networks I've developed over the past few years with academicians, working professionals, students and persons belonging from various spheres to help develop Wikipedia. I was also very recently nominated for the Featured (WMIN) wikimedian of the Month.

Lastly, I'd just like to mention here that through my participation and active involvement in different Wiki events I have been fortunate to make acquaintances with amazing editors and contributors coming from different countries and diverse cultures and Linguistic backgrounds and this has helped me get me a deeper essence of Wikipedia and the idea that all of Wikipedia editors stand for: free and open knowledge. For all. I maintain close contacts and good rapport with a good amount of editors from almost all the Indic Language Wikipedia communities. Just something about my personal self; I love picking up new languages, learning them at the earliest opportunities I get. I am proficient in Bengali, Telugu, Hindi and English. I can also communicate in decent Tamil/Thamizh. Read and write in Punjabi and Kannada. Want to learn other languages too :)

Position Statement/Letter of intent* (in not more than 200 words):

I am aware of a current problem that WMIN is facing; regarding the FCRA license (Issued by the Govt. of India) which needs to be addressed urgently. Provided, I am elected to the Executive Committee of Wikimedia India, the very first priority for me would be to work on this ongoing trouble. Conducting new innovative initiatives on behalf of WMIN will also figure in my to-do list. As a propagator of the Wikipedia/Wikimedia Movement in India, the role of Wikimedia India should under no circumstances get diminished in this subcontinent. On the contrary the Chapter needs to become enhanced and active. All the Executive Committee members and the other Chapter members can each play their role to cater to the concerned party; the 2000+ odd Wikipedia editors in India and to an extent other Free-knowledge enthusiasts. There has been considerable success with a few Photography Contest on Commons.org and if elected, I will, on behalf of the Chapter only be happy to continue forward with these Contests. Efforts to explain existence of the India Chapter and the agenda of the Chapter that it is always there to support/guide/assist each and every wikipedian working from India; needs to be worked upon even more. I shall be interested to involve myself in Wikimedia Outreach and thereby connect with the editor-base at the basic levels.

Conflict of Interest disclosure (if any)

Not applicable (none that I'm aware of).

....

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I Mourya Biswas solemnly affirm to hold the aims and objectives of Wikimedia Chapter in highest esteem and strive to the best of my ability in serving the cause of Wikimedia Chapter.

Place: Chennai

Date: 24 March 2017

Signature(Use Wiki Signature): Mouryan (talk) 21:19, 24 March 2017 (IST)

Name: Mourya Biswas