It all began in 2024, during the celebration of Assamese Wikipedia’s anniversary at the historic Agnigarh, Tezpur. Amid the festivities, a few of us envisioned hosting a conference to bring the Assamese Wikimedia community together. The seed of the idea was sown, and tentative plans were made.
Driven by the desire to turn this vision into reality, I approached Medini ma’am, a supportive member of CIS-A2K, seeking financial assistance and strategic advice. Her prompt response and suggestions, delivered over the phone, were appreciated but didn’t align with our immediate needs, leaving me at a standstill.
However, the turning point came when one of our most talented Assamese Wikimedians, Joli Rumi Bora, based in Canada, introduced a groundbreaking mentorship program, WikiSanjog. Her idea focused on engaging individuals passionate about volunteering in Wikimedia projects, a much-needed initiative for the growth of our community. With her as the project manager, and Dibya Dutta and Ishan Jyoti Bora as coordinators, the program flourished under the mentorship of senior Assamese Wikimedians. Over three months, WikiSanjog not only met but exceeded expectations, becoming a grand success and a milestone for our community.
Recognizing the need for an in-person event to celebrate the mentorship program’s achievements, the idea of organizing a conference was revived. This time, we set the date for January 5, 2025, marking a historic occasion—the First Assamese WikiSanjog Conference. The event was designed to not only celebrate the mentorship program but also commemorate the anniversaries of Assamese Wikisource and Assamese Wikiquote. Additionally, we introduced the Chandan Chiring Phukon Memorial Assamese Wikimedian of the Year Award, established in honor of the late Chandan Chiring Phukon, a beloved and talented Wikimedian.
For collaboration, we once again sought support from CIS-A2K. This time, Ishan Jyoti Bora led the formalities and collaborated with the CIS team to meticulously plan the event. Nitesh ji, Pavan ji, and Medini ma’am provided unwavering support through online meetings and phone calls, ensuring the event was well-structured and impactful. Their dedication was instrumental, and we remain deeply grateful.
As organizers, Ishan da and I worked closely to ensure every detail was covered, while the event’s execution was gracefully managed by Wikimedian Pranamika Adhikary. Gitartha Bordoloi and Kumud Ghosh beautifully captured the essence of the day through their photography.
The conference witnessed the convergence of 31 Wikimedians from across Assam, including 11 top contributors from the WikiSanjog mentorship program. Highlights included the distribution of certificates for the mentorship program, awards for the Asian Month Edit-a-thon, and accolades for the Wikisource Proofread-a-thon winners. These recognitions were handed out by Rumi Bora, Pranjyoti Nath, and Chanakya Kumar Das, adding to the sense of accomplishment and camaraderie.
The pinnacle of the event was the presentation of the Chandan Chiring Phukon Memorial Assamese Wikimedian of the Year 2024 Award to User:Jyoti Chiring. The award was generously donated by User:Nayan Jyoti Nath, Dibya Dutta, Priyankush Deka, Bhashkar Bhuyan, Nayan Jyoti Sharma, and Pranamika Adhikary, underscoring the community’s shared commitment.
The First Assamese WikiSanjog Conference was a celebration of laughter, shared goals, and the selflessness of contributing to our mother language. It wasn’t just an event; it was a testament to the spirit of collaboration and the boundless potential of the Assamese Wikimedia community.
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