Maithili Wikimedians User Group/Executive Team Member Profile

Pankaj Deo

Background Pankaj started his Wikipedia journey in June 2015 and has since played an important role in advancing the Wikimedia Movement in Nepal. As a founding member and current Chair of the Maithili Wikimedians, he has organized numerous events, including Wikipedia Edit-a-thons, Wiki Loves Earth in Nepal 2017, Wikipedia Education Programs, and Wikipedia Awareness Program & Workshops, alongside a Provincial Photowalk series. His leadership was instrumental as a core team organizer of Wikicamp Nepal 2018, a significant national event. Internationally, he has actively participated in major Wikimedia conferences, showcasing their commitment to global collaboration. These include WikiConference India 2016, Wikimedia Conference 2018, Wikimania 2018, Wikimedia Conference 2019, and the Wikimedia Summit 2024. His efforts extend beyond Nepal, focusing on fostering inter-community connections through initiatives like the Inter-Community Wiki Meetup. This international exposure highlights his dedication to expanding the Wikimedia Movement globally while strengthening local and regional networks. His work exemplifies a blend of local impact and global engagement, making him a key figure in the Wikimedia community.

Contact details Email Write a message on his talk page

Portrait Pankaj Deo

Biplab Anand

Background Biplab’s journey as a Wikipedia contributor, which started in 2013, showcases a remarkable on-wiki experience in promoting free knowledge and linguistic diversity. His pivotal moment came in 2014 when he played a key role in launching the Maithili Wikipedia. He has organized global initiatives like Wiki Loves Monuments 2014 in Nepal and Wiki Loves Earth 2018 in Nepal, alongside edit-a-thons, photowalks, and Wikipedia workshops. As a co-founder of Maithili Wikimedians, his leadership extended to the Maithili Wikipedia Education Program in Eastern Nepal, enhancing the language’s digital presence. He played a key role in organizing the first national-level conference, Wikicamp Nepal, in 2018. Biplab’s global engagement includes participating in major Wikimedia events like Wikimania (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Wikimedia Conference (2017, 2018), and 2016, 2023. He also served as a Scholarship Committee member of WikiConference India 2016, Wikimedia Affiliation Committee member (2017–2019) and a Universal Code of Conduct Language Facilitator for the Wikimedia Foundation. Recently, he has been active in organizing the Wikipedia Awareness Program and Inter-Community Wiki Meetup, strengthening collaboration among South Asian affiliates. The first itinerary was with the Commons Photographers User Group team. His work exemplifies a commitment to cross-cultural knowledge sharing and community building on a global scale.

Contact details Email Write a message on his talk page

Portrait Biplab Anand

Bijay Chaurasia

Background Bijay is a prominent member of the Wikimedia community in Nepal, serving as the project head of Wiki Loves Villages and holding key roles such as Executive Member and Deputy General Secretary of the Maithili Wikimedians User Group. His leadership skills in regional Wikimedia initiatives and logistical expertise was demonstrated as the Travel and Logistics Coordinator for Wikicamp Nepal 2018, a major national Wikimedia event in Nepal. Internationally, he has contributed as a jury member for prestigious Wikimedia contests, including Wiki Loves Monuments 2023, Wiki Loves Earth 2023 and 2024, and Wiki Loves Food 2023 and 2024 in the Philippines, reflecting his global engagement and recognition in the Wikimedia movement. Professionally, he brings extensive expertise in program design, proposal writing, event management, and financial planning for nonprofit organizations. He participated in Wikimania 2018 and 2023, Wikimedia Conference 2019, and WikiConference India 2016. His contributions help the community by fostering collaboration, cultural preservation, and sustainable development both locally and internationally.

Contact details Email Write a message on his talk page

Portrait Bijay Chaurasia

Tulsi Bhagat

Background Tulsi has been on the movement as a volunteer since 2014 with over 1 lakh edit. Born in 1999, he is the youngest and prominent member of the Maithili Wikimedians. He helped launch the Maithili language Wikipedia in 2014 and was entitled to be the “Co-founder of Maithili language Wikipedia”. Talking about the outreach, he is the key organizing member of Wikicamp Nepal 2018 where he played the vital role of program coordinator, facilitating 9 emerging communities of Nepal. He initiated Wiki Awareness campaign in Nepal, The Billboards Initiative in which Wikipedia traffic hiked up by 28% within the region. Again, piloted the Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos campaign globally as a Communication Manager which impacted 272 languages Wikipedia, over 90,000 articles were improved with photos. Again, part of global Wiki Loves Folklore campaign as a key organizing member which resulted in the upload of over 20,000 files on Wikimedia Commons. He has been to Wikimania Singapore 2023. He became a member of Movement communications group and Communications committee. Additionally, he is an administrator on the Meta-Wiki, Wikimedia Commons, MediaWiki, Maithili and Nepali Wikipedia. For more other collaborations and initiatives, please see User:Tulsi/List of activities.

Contact details Email Write a message on his talk page

Portrait Tulsi

Nilam Karn

Background Nilam Karn, from Rajbiraj, Nepal, began her Wikipedia journey as a volunteer editor in 2014 and has since become an active contributor to Maithili and Nepali Wikipedia. Beyond her online contributions, she is deeply involved in organizing Wikimedia events in Nepal, with a particular focus on increasing women's participation in Wikimedia projects. She has led the Women Edit-a-thon 2018, Women Participation in Wikipedia, Wiki Women for Women Wellbeing Workshop in Rajbiraj, and programs aimed at enhancing women's involvement in Wikipedia. Nilam has also participated in several international Wikimedia events, including WikiConference India 2016, Wikicamp Nepal 2018, WikiSammelan 2019, Wikimania 2019, WikiConference India 2023, and Wikimania 2023, showcasing her commitment to global collaboration. Additionally, she initiated the Maithili Wikisource incubator project, reflecting her dedication to preserving and promoting Maithili language and culture. Her work highlights her efforts to bridge local and global Wikimedia communities while advocating for gender inclusivity and cultural preservation.

Contact details Email Write a message on his talk page

Portrait Nilam Karn

Sanjog Dev

Background Sanjog Dev, hailing from Rajbiraj, Nepal, is a dedicated contributor to the Wikimedia movement, with a strong focus on promoting local languages and cultures. He began his journey as a Wikipedia editor and has since become an active participant in various Wikimedia projects, particularly those related to Maithili Wikipedia. His contributions extend beyond online editing, as he has been instrumental in organizing numerous Wikimedia events in Nepal, aimed at increasing awareness and participation in Wikimedia initiatives. Sanjog has played a key role in organizing Wikipedia Awareness Programs and Wikipedia Awareness Program Workshop in Eastern Nepal. His efforts in organizing Inter-Community Wiki Meetup, bringing together diverse groups of affiliates members to share their experience for the betterment of the Wikimedia movement. In addition to his local contributions, he has participated in WikiSammelan India 2019, where he has shared his experiences and learned from other Wikimedians. His work reflects a deep commitment to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of Nepal, particularly through the lens of language and community-based initiatives.

Contact details Email Write a message on his talk page

Portrait Sanjog Dev