Bhubaneswar: To build collaborative efforts to enhance Santali language content online, Wikipedians joined hands together to commemorate the 6th anniversary of Santali Wikipedia. During an online discussion, participants from India, Nepal, and Bangladesh shared their thoughts on recent developments and future prospects of various ongoing projects related to developing the language.
Key discussions highlighted the immediate importance of increasing online content and making the language more accessible to a broader audience, particularly in regions where the language is dominantly spoken. The community plans to carry out a series of outreach programmes throughout the anniversary month at several places, including Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Assam, as well as at Jhapa in Nepal and Dinajpur in Bangladesh. The objective of the programmes will be to generate more engagement by connecting with students from colleges and universities and raise awareness about the importance of preserving and promoting the Santali language through digital platforms. “By involving young minds, the community hopes to foster a new generation of Santali Wikipedians who will continue to contribute for the expansion of the language repository,” said the organisers. The anniversary meeting was coordinated by Bodi Baski and was supported by Ramjit Tudu.
