The relevance of language computing is increasing day by day and it is necessary for small languages to enhance their digital presence. The Wikimedia ecosystem is playing an important role in popularization and conservation of small languages and their knowledge base. But it’s the duty of the native speakers and Wikimedia volunteers to use such ecosystems and do necessary activities to conserve their own language. WikiConference Kerala is conducted with such an aim in mind, to preserve Malayalam and make the community aware about the ways to protect our language and local knowledge using the latest technology.
Where It All Started: WikiConference Kerala 2023
The first WikiConference Kerala started in 2023, in a minimal manner, in an un-conference format at St. Thomas College, Thrissur, Kerala, India on 23 December 2023. The dates were chosen such that it aligns with Malayalam Wikipedia birthday. Around 50 people participated in the event with talks and discussions on more than 20 topics related to Malayalam Wikipedia, Opendata, Mediawiki, Malayalam computing etc.
The Saga Continues: WikiConference Kerala 2024
The success of the first WikiConference Kerala gave us confidence to organize the same event next year, in 2024. This time the WikiConference Kerala 2024 happened at College of Climate Change and Environmental Science, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, , Kerala, India on 28 December 2025. This time we had participation from 100 people which shows the real enthusiasm from the community. This time we have introduced theme based talks which mainly focused on the linguistic diversity and accessibility. Experts who have worked on different and diverse languages related to Malayalam delivered talks on the conference along with Opendata, Accessibility, Mediawiki, Wikiwomen, Malayalam Computing, GLAM etc. This time we saw the filling of the gender gap with separate tracks for women contributors.
Expanding the Vision: WikiConference Kerala 2025
Now the WikiConference Kerala became a proud event for us and slowly it is becoming an integral part of the language community in Kerala. In 2025, the conference team collaborated with Kerala Institute of Local Administration, which was a big step to include a government agency who hosted Panchayathwiki to the picture. The WikiConference Kerala 2025 was conducted at Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) campus, Mulagunnathukavu, Thrissur, Kerala, India on 20 December 2025.
This time, the event started with a cultural performance, Pulluvan pattu, a serpent worship art form, which mesmerised people and made them active to attend the conference. The theme of focus was “Wikipedia; Language;Technology: Future of Knowledge in the era of AI “ which made sure that small languages like Malayalam are serious about AI and its allied technologies. Former CEO of Wikimedia Foundation, Maryana Iskander gave a recorded birthday wish for Malayalam Wikipedia.
The significance of the conference was further highlighted by the announcement of the release of books by M. P. Parameshwaran, the renowned science writer and nuclear engineer, through Malayalam Wikisource and the announcement of the digitization project of books by Vaidyabhooshanam K. Raghavan Thirumulpad, a famous Ayurvedic scholar and practitioner. Following this, the conference featured a panel discussion on “Wikisource: Transform & Preserve the Knowledge”, along with tracks on Malayalam Computing: Accessibility, Wikiwomen, and Wiki Loves.
At the end there was a surprise for the audience: Tholpavakoothu which made the day enjoyable for everyone. The performance was such a wonderful display of colors and light. Apart from just a performance, the team interacted with the participants about the history of Tholpavakoothu and how it is performed.
In the media, WikiConference Kerala 2025 got greater visibility due to the release of the Wikisource project of M P Paramerswaran, which again makes sure the community is working towards open knowledge.
It’s not easy to organize such a conference. Sahya Digital Conservation Foundation and its co-founder Manoj K took all the responsibilities and took the lead for WikiConference Kerala. Other communities collaborating in WikiConference Kerala 2025 are, Wikimedians of Kerala User Group, Zendalona, Swathanthra Malayalam Computing, OpendataKerala, Free Software Community of India, Free Software Users Group Thrissur. Awesome designs by Jameela P got WikiConference Kerala a lot of visibility from different communities of people.
More details on WikiConference Kerala 2025 can be found on Meta-wiki.
Language computation and perseverance of indigenous as well as local knowledge is not a responsibility of a particular group. At WikiConference Kerala, we strive to sustain these efforts by giving open data, FOSS, and Open Knowledge communities a platform to present their contributions and make more people aware of their work.
Can you help us translate this article?
In order for this article to reach as many people as possible we would like your help. Can you translate this article to get the message out?