Hi Ashwin, Achal, Gautam, Pranav, Ravi, Sundar,HPN, Yogesh and any others whom I may have missed inadvertently and all other members and Community
Thanks very much for your response to the communication. I appreciate your words of appreciation regarding Chapter accomplishments and the contribution of EC members. Whatever was achieved is a team effort not just that of EC, but the extended leadership team of the Chapter and the support received from members, Donors, WMF. On behalf of Chapter EC, I would like to thank everyone for the same. I would like to address some of the questions raised in response briefly in my individual capacity as EC member with regard to my decision to step down from the EC. When I started editing Telugu Wikipedia in 2007, I did not even think in my dream about my future involvement with the movement. It is just my love for improving the computing in my mother tongue that drove me to Wikipedia, the mailing lists and subsequently to a chance meeting with Jimmy and others including Achal in Dec 2008. Having had prior experience of serving in IEEE in different roles, I felt very much the need for a national chapter and thought of volunteering for the initial team. Though I was not keen for an EC role, it is just the situations that developed one after another that pushed me into more active role. I tried to do justice to my role during the founding of Chapter and subsequently. Thanks to the support that was extended by one and all, I am satisfied about what was achieved. Personally, it has been a great learning experience for me in Wikimedia, which I consider to be unique in the world (remember the quest for Heritage tag!) on several fronts whether it is technology, planning and execution, communication, government and other stake holder interfaces and organisational matters Coming to the question of my decision to step down at this time, I fully believe that this is the right thing to do as the Chapter's boot strapping is complete in my view and is ready for next phase of growth. In any membership based Societies, AGM and Elections that coincide with it are the major event at which leadership transition takes place. It allows for the new leadership to take responsibility for the society and work towards growing the organisation for the next year. As you all know the AGM is scheduled for Sep 23, 2012 and a new EC will take charge in 2-4 weeks from that date, which is mid Oct. As the two year term as per Byelaws ends on Jan 2, there will be very little that I can contribute by continuing to be on the EC for couple of months. We have put in place several of the operational policies and rhythms for chapter. I along with rest of the EC will be offering our support in inducting the new EC. l will be happy to be of help, if the revised EC requires any help from my side subsequently to the best of my ability and any constraints. Some of you may remember that there were questions about EC stepping down at the last year's Elections. While some of you may want EC members to continue, others may want to see a change. It is only natural that each EC member has to decide for himself when to step down subject to the larger Byelaws and his/her own constraints and commitments towards the Wikimedia cause and others. Let me remind that even the term of 2 years that was put in Byelaws is a compromise between one year and three years, the other choices thrown up during the Byelaw drafting discussions. What Byelaws says is all theory and from the past 1 year 7 months of experience, we know a bit about what works and what does not in Wikimedia. May be the future EC will change the Byelaws to make it even better. Change for improvement is what keeps any organism/organisation ticking. I am fully confident that necessary leadership will emerge and after another year from now, we will be celebrating many more accomplishments that we all can be proud of. I am not sure whether I answered all your questions. There is a plan for IRC on next Monday, which I will be joining the same and will be happy to answer questions from members and community. Once again, thanks every one for the opportunity to be part of this great movement which I will continue to be associated. Best regards Arjuna Rao Chavala On Wed, Jul 25, 2012 at 5:04 PM, Arjuna Rao Chavala <arjunar...@gmail.com>wrote: > Sorry, Here is a better readable version after fixing layout.. Arjuna > > Communication on Chapter Accomplishments and EC vacancies > > Dear Members & Wikimedia India Community, > > Greetings from EC. > > As we are getting started for this year's AGM and Elections, here is a > summary of the Chapter accomplishments from the time of last AGM and also > update on the EC vacancies. > Accomplishments since last AGM Statutory > > - Last AGM was conducted on 24 Sep 2011. All statutory reports were > filed with Registrar of Societies and Income Tax Department. > - Chapter applied for FCRA prior permission and obtained the same. > This gave financial stability to the Chapter with no additional government > applications required for 3 years. > - TAN was obtained, which is required for complying with Income Tax > when making payments to Consultants, any future staff etc. > > Finances > > - Bank accounts for FCRA was set up with SBI > - Online operation of Bank account was put in place. > > Communication > > - Press page and kit were prepared. > - Updates and Interaction with members, community, WMF and other > stakeholders were maintained using various mechanisms. > - Wikimedia India site is revamped with portal for all Wikimedia India > sites and Wiki project sites, advanced search facility, which was well > received. > > Membership > > - Chapter membership reached a high of 197 at the end of Financial > year 2011-12 > - There were 39 renewals and 61 new applications adding up to a total > current year membership of 100 as of 18 Jul 2012. > > Projects and Events > > - Chapter co-hosted first national WikiConference India 2011 and > helped in organizing it successfully. > - Chapter supported over 15 Wiki Academies at colleges and other > institutions in India from Sep 2011 till March 2012 initiating around 600 > people into Wiki editing > - Coordinated the conduct of Wiki Academies along with India programs > as relevant. > - Kick started Wiki Loves Monuments 2012. > - Community meetups, Indian Langauge Wiki Anniversary events were > conducted with help of City/Language SIGs across India. > - Supported WikiSangamotsav Malayalam Wiki Conf and Wiki Eleven > Celebrations at several places, Anniversary of Assamese and Kannada > Wikipedia were some of the prominent events. > > Governance. > > - Chapter had a smooth induction of new EC members, revamped the > structure and assigned the responsibilities to support further growth. > - CIS support for using their office as Chapter Address has been > extended till end of FY 2012-13 > - Consultant, Auditor are appointed and have been offering their > services for smooth conduct of chapter operations > - Special Interest group for Language and Cities were created. > - Special Projects team was formed for GLAM > - Teams for Administration,Fundraising,Communications were started > - MoU with Crafts Museum for GLAM project.. > - Policies for conduct of chapter operations, elections, funding have > been put in place. Wiki is used effectively as the knowledge repository for > the Chapter operations. > > *As you can see from the above, Chapter bootstrapping is completed and it > now ready for the next phase of growth.* > EC Vacancies > > From the present EC, the following members (in alphabetical order of their > first names) have decided to step down from EC after the upcoming AGM. > > - Arjuna Rao Chavala > - Arun Ramarathnam > - Naveen Francis > - Srinivas Gunta > - Tinu Cherian > > Anirudh Singh Bhati and Sudhanwa Jogalekar will continue on the EC. > Further Anirudh will be continuing till his term ends, i.e Jan 2, 2013. > > All the EC members who are stepping down will continue to perform their > roles till a revised EC is put in place following the Elections for EC. > > We thank you for your support over the past few years and would request > you to continue the same to grow Wikimedia movement. > > Regards > > On behalf of Wikimedia Chapter Executive committee > > Arjuna Rao Chavala > President > > > On Wed, Jul 25, 2012 at 4:57 PM, Arjuna Rao Chavala > <arjunar...@gmail.com>wrote: > >> Communication on Chapter Accomplishments and EC vacancies >> >> Dear Members & Wikimedia India Community, >> >> Greetings from EC. >> >> As we are getting started for this year's AGM and Elections, here is a >> summary of the Chapter accomplishments from the time of last AGM and also >> update on the EC vacancies. >> Accomplishments since last AGM Statutory >> >> Last AGM was conducted on 24 Sep 2011. All statutory reports were filed >> with Registrar of Societies and Income Tax Department. Chapter applied for >> FCRA prior permission and obtained the same. This gave financial stability >> to the Chapter with no additional government applications required for 3 >> years. TAN was obtained, which is required for complying with Income Tax >> when making payments to Consultants, any future staff etc. >> Finances >> >> Bank accounts for FCRA was set up with SBI Online operation of Bank >> account was put in place. >> Communication >> >> Press page and kit were prepared. Updates and Interaction with members, >> community, WMF and other stakeholders were maintained using various >> mechanisms. Wikimedia India site is revamped with portal for all Wikimedia >> India sites and Wiki project sites, advanced search facility, which was >> well received. >> Membership >> >> Chapter membership reached a high of 197 at the end of Financial year >> 2011-12 There were 39 renewals and 61 new applications adding up to a total >> current year membership of 100 as of 18 Jul 2012. >> Projects and Events >> >> Chapter co-hosted first national WikiConference India 2011 and helped in >> organizing it successfully. Chapter supported over 15 Wiki Academies at >> colleges and other institutions in India from Sep 2011 till March 2012 >> initiating around 600 people into Wiki editing Coordinated the conduct of >> Wiki Academies along with India programs as relevant. Kick started Wiki >> Loves Monuments 2012. Community meetups, Indian Langauge Wiki Anniversary >> events were conducted with help of City/Language SIGs across India. >> Supported WikiSangamotsav Malayalam Wiki Conf and Wiki Eleven Celebrations >> at several places, Anniversary of Assamese and Kannada Wikipedia were some >> of the prominent events. >> Governance. >> >> Chapter had a smooth induction of new EC members, revamped the structure >> and assigned the responsibilities to support further growth. CIS support >> for using their office as Chapter Address has been extended till end of FY >> 2012-13 Consultant, Auditor are appointed and have been offering their >> services for smooth conduct of chapter operations Special Interest group >> for Language and Cities were created. Special Projects team was formed for >> GLAM Teams for Administration,Fundraising,Communications were started MoU >> with Crafts Museum for GLAM project.. Policies for conduct of chapter >> operations, elections, funding have been put in place. Wiki is used >> effectively as the knowledge repository for the Chapter operations. >> >> *As you can see from the above, Chapter bootstrapping is completed and >> it now ready for the next phase of growth.* >> EC Vacancies >> >> From the present EC, the following members (in alphabetical order of >> their first names) have decided to step down from EC after the upcoming >> AGM. >> >> - Arjuna Rao Chavala >> - Arun Ramarathnam >> - Naveen Francis >> - Srinivas Gunta >> - Tinu Cherian >> >> Anirudh Singh Bhati and Sudhanwa Jogalekar will continue on the EC. >> Further Anirudh will be continuing till his term ends, i.e Jan 2, 2013. >> >> All the EC members who are stepping down will continue to perform their >> roles till a revised EC is put in place following the Elections for EC. >> >> We thank you for your support over the past few years and would request >> you to continue the same to grow Wikimedia movement. >> >> Regards >> >> On behalf of Wikimedia Chapter Executive committee >> >> Arjuna Rao Chavala >> President >> > >
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