Media Release
Mangaluru, Feb 12: Santhosh Notagar, head of the department of computer animation at St Aloysius, has been selected to represent South Asian countries at the prestigious Wikisource conference, which will be held in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, from February 14 to 16. In recognition of his significant contributions to the field of Wikimedia and related projects, he has been awarded a full scholarship to attend this international event.
Notagar is currently serving as the South Asian Ambassador for Wikipedia Asian Month activities, where he has been instrumental in the creation of over 1,000 articles across various languages from the South Asian region. His passion for promoting regional languages and knowledge sharing will be a focal point of his participation at the Wikisource conference, where he aims to promote the University’s Wikipedia initiatives and further support the preservation and growth of South Asian languages on the global platform.
In addition to his role as a South Asian Ambassador, Notagar has an impressive track record of representing Wikimedia initiatives at international forums. He has attended key conferences such as the 'Train the Trainer' conference in Kochi in 2023 and the Wikimedia Technology Summit in Hyderabad in 2024. As president of the Wikipedia Students’ Association at St Aloysius University, he is dedicated to training students on the intricacies of Wikimedia projects. He works closely with Dr Vishwanatha Badikana, collaborating on various training initiatives.
Among his accolades, Notagar won first place in the 2024 Wikipedia Article Writing competition in the Kannada language, further showcasing his expertise and commitment to regional language promotion. Additionally, he has been a coordinator for projects like the Wiki loves Mangaluru initiative and the movement charter ambassador programme, both of which contribute to the broader Wikimedia community.
His contributions also extend to cultural preservation, as he is currently recording folk songs and documenting the rich cultural heritage of Karnataka for Wikimedia commons. These efforts align with his vision of bringing local traditions to a global audience, ensuring that the diverse cultural identity of South Asia is preserved for future generations.
Notagar’s selection to the Wikisource Conference underscores his dedication to advancing the use of technology in knowledge dissemination and his continuous efforts to support regional languages, cultures, and Wikimedia-related projects. His upcoming participation in Bali will serve as another milestone in his journey to make meaningful contributions to the global Wikimedia community