Mangaluru: Tulu Wikipedia, which has been documenting the Tulu language, literature, culture and heritage in the digital space, has completed 10 years of its live edition.To mark the milestone, the Karavali Wikimedians User Group will organise a two-day decennial celebration at AJ Grand Hotel in Mangaluru on Sept 12 and 13.Speaking to reporters on Saturday, president of the group, Dr Vishwanatha Badikana, said Tulu Wikipedia was initiated in 2008 and remained in the incubator phase for nearly eight years before going live in 2016. With this, Tulu became the 23rd Indian language to have its own Wikipedia edition.The platform currently has more than 3,800 articles covering various subjects, including Bhutaradhane, Nagaradhane, Yakshagana, art, literature, nature, customs and the cultural heritage of Tulunadu.Badikana said the initiative had grown through the sustained efforts of volunteers who contributed by writing articles, compiling information, documenting photographs, verifying sources, adding references and editing content alongside their professional and personal commitments.The initiative also received guidance from Dr UB Pavanaja, while scholars and volunteers including Prof BA Viveka Rai, Prof AV Navada, KP Rao and Vamana Nandavara supported its development. Editing workshops conducted at various colleges subsequently helped train new editors.The group’s focus now is to document more aspects of Tulu language and culture and nurture a new generation of editors, Badikana said.
