Indian Institute of Technology Delhi leads in the open-knowledge movement: first IIT in India to appoint Wikimedians-in-Residence

It all started when my colleague, Raydann, returned from the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague and shared what he had learned about the GLAM side of Wikimedia. I already knew about Wikipedia and its sister projects, but the GLAM model, which focused on cultural institutions, archives, and digital preservation immediately resonated with me.

As we compared global GLAM initiatives with those in India, a persistent gap became clear. Many institutions here hold extensive collections, yet only a few are aware of how Wikimedia platforms can help them make these materials accessible to the public. This disconnect between knowledge institutions and the Wikimedia community motivated us to begin outreach work. I suggested my colleague that we should reach out to our nearby knowledge institutions, and he approved of the idea.

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi became the first institution we aimed to approach. As one of India’s premier institutes of higher education, it holds the status of an Institution of Eminence (IoE) and Institution of National Importance (INI). Its Central Library manages significant academic resources and has the infrastructure to support digital access initiatives. It felt like the right place to start a structured GLAM collaboration.

We drafted detailed email proposals to introduce the concept of GLAM, explain how Wikimedia projects support open knowledge, and outline how institutions can participate.

After several email exchanges, the Central Library team invited us for an in-person meeting. We prepared a comprehensive presentation covering the Wikimedia GLAM model, policies such as neutrality and reliable sourcing, how institutional content can be contributed to Commons, and examples of ongoing global GLAM partnerships.

During our first meeting on campus, we explained how Wikimedia engagement typically works and discussed practical aspects such as licensing, documentation, and contribution workflows. The library team asked clear, thoughtful questions, which showed strong interest in understanding the processes rather than hesitancy.

This made it clear that the real barrier was lack of exposure, not lack of willingness.

Shortly after the meeting, both of us were appointed as the Wikimedians-in-Residence by Dr. Nabi Hasan, the head librarian at Central Library, IIT Delhi. This was the formal beginning of the GLAM IIT Delhi project.

Our early discussions with the library team focused on capacity-building for staff and students, identifying possible digitization opportunities, designing a Commons upload workflow, and setting up a schedule for workshops and training sessions.

These sessions were detailed and often extended for hours because everyone involved wanted a clear understanding of each step.

On our consecutive visits, we began outlining a long-term plan for the GLAM IIT Delhi project. This included identifying materials suitable for digitization, documenting structured workflows for Commons uploads, planning training modules and edit-a-thons, and discussing ways to document the campus in a systematic manner.

One of the first activities we organized was a campus photowalk, to preserve the heritage of IIT Delhi’s academic campus. This allowed us to capture and upload a large set of images covering IITD’s buildings and academic areas, infrastructure and signboards, campus locations that were previously under-documented etc.

This became an early and substantial Commons contribution from the collaboration.

Encouraged by the initial results, the library team requested structured workshops. Ergo, we designed and planned sessions on introductory Wikipedia editing, citing and verifying sources, Commons licensing and categories, and common mistakes new editors face.

This marked IIT Delhi’s transition from exploratory interest to active participation in Wikimedia projects.

After our appointment, my colleague received a scholarship to attend the GLAM Wiki Conference in Lisbon, Portugal. The sessions, discussions, and exposure he gained there helped refine our understanding of how GLAM projects are executed globally.

When he returned, we worked together to develop a more streamlined and future-focused plan for our GLAM activities which covered digitization, Commons workflows, content partnerships, metadata standards, and long-term institutional engagement.

The GLAM IIT Delhi project became our first sustained institutional collaboration. It confirmed that Indian institutions are willing to participate when the processes are clearly explained and when consistent communication is maintained. It also showed that age is not a barrier (as both of us are under the age of 20), clarity, preparation, and professionalism matter far more.

Our next step is to expand this experience into future GLAM initiatives across other libraries and institutions in India, building a stronger bridge between cultural knowledge and open access platforms.