As the Hindi Wiki Sammelan or Conference returns in 2026, it offers an opportunity not only to discuss the future of free knowledge in Hindi but also to reflect on a remarkable journey that began more than a decade ago. From the first gathering of Hindi Wikipedians in Delhi in 2015 to subsequent conferences in Bhopal, Delhi, Kolkata, and Delhi again, the Hindi Wiki Sammelans have helped transform a geographically dispersed group of volunteers into a vibrant and collaborative community.
The story began in 2015 when Hindi Wikipedians came together in Delhi to explore how regular face-to-face interaction could strengthen the community. Participants discussed outreach, partnerships, editor recruitment, and ways to increase public awareness about Hindi Wikipedia. More importantly, the meetup established a shared vision for the future.
The movement expanded significantly with the 2017 Hindi Wiki Sammelan in Bhopal. The conference emphasized practical learning, editor training, and skill development, while demonstrating that successful Wikimedia events could be organized beyond major metropolitan centres. It marked an important step toward decentralizing community activities and encouraging participation from across India.
In 2018, the conference returned to Delhi, further strengthening the tradition of annual gatherings. Contributors exchanged experiences, discussed challenges, and explored new opportunities for community growth. By this stage, the Sammelan had become an established platform for networking, collaboration, and movement-building.
The 2019 conference in Kolkata reflected the growing maturity of the Hindi Wikimedia community. Editors reviewed ongoing initiatives, planned future activities, and reinforced the value of in-person engagement. The event highlighted how conferences serve not only as discussion forums but also as spaces where experienced contributors mentor newcomers and help build future leadership.
The fifth conference, held in Delhi in 2020, brought a stronger strategic focus. Discussions extended beyond Wikipedia to sister projects such as Wikisource, Wiktionary, Wikibooks, and Wikiversity. Community members explored issues relating to leadership development, gender diversity, partnerships, technical skills, and long-term movement sustainability. The conference also established measurable goals for community growth and content development.
Now, in 2026, the Hindi Wiki Sammelan enters a new phase. The information landscape has changed dramatically with the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence and machine-generated content. While these technologies create new opportunities, they also raise important questions about reliability, authenticity, sourcing, and the role of human contributors in building trustworthy knowledge resources.
The 2026 conference, scheduled for 8–9 August in New Delhi, comes at a crucial moment. It will bring together Hindi Wikipedia and sister-project contributors to discuss how the movement can adapt to technological change while remaining committed to Wikimedia’s core values of openness, verifiability, neutrality, and community-driven knowledge creation.
Participants are expected to discuss topics such as the future of Hindi knowledge on the internet, the role of artificial intelligence in Wikimedia projects, editor retention and leadership development, partnerships with educational and cultural institutions, and strategies for strengthening sister projects. The conference will also provide opportunities for training, networking, and collaborative planning.
More than a decade after the first discussions about a Hindi Wiki Sammelan, the community has much to celebrate. At the same time, the challenges and opportunities ahead require fresh thinking, renewed collaboration, and a shared commitment to ensuring that high-quality knowledge in Hindi remains freely accessible to everyone.
Hindi Wiki Sammelan 2026 is therefore not just another community gathering—it is an opportunity to build on past achievements, address emerging challenges, and collectively shape the future of free knowledge in Hindi.
(Prepared in consultation with Hindi Wikipedia, Wikisource, and Wikiversity administrator Ajit Tiwari, and senior Hindi Wikipedians Viresh Raj Sah and Piyush Maurya. This reflection builds on my ongoing work on multilingual collaboration, including discussions in Wikified Friendships and the Wikisphere (2026).)
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