Navigating the OSS: A Mentor's Journey Through the - Road to Wiki Program

How It All Began

This summer wasn’t like the typical ones where where majority students would travel to hill stations, visit realtives, or enjoy waterparks to beat summer heat. While others were relaxing and having fun, I found myself taking a completely different path. I discovered something that sparked my curiosity—Wikimedia’s open-source community - WikiClub Tech.

At first, I didn’t know much about it. But as I started reading the documentation, about how it works, watching tutorials, and exploring tools like MediaWiki (the core software that powers all of Wikipedia and other), I got hooked. I spent 2-3 months just learning—reading documentation, trying things out, and understanding how everything connects. At first, it wasn’t always easy—there were plenty of sleepless nights, but the satisfaction of figuring things out made it worth it in the end. Before I knew it, I was contributing to MediaWiki.

Then came the happiest moment of my life—my PR was finally merged. My hard work finally paid off. It

Once my first PR was merged, things became much easier. I ended up getting 3 more PRs merged, totaling 4 PRs in just one week across different projects in Wikimedia Ecosystem.

Contributing to Open Source

Contributing to Wikimedia felt amazing ✨. Knowing that my small contributions were part of something bigger was incredibly rewarding. It wasn’t just about writing code—it was about being part of a global community working together.

Then came a moment I never expected. I got invited to join Road to Wiki, an event organized by Ankit Kumar Verma from WikiClub Tech. Even better? I wasn’t just attending—I was mentoring two sessions!

Sharing my knowledge of Wikimedia OSS, What I have Learned

At Road to Wiki, I got the opportunity to mentor two sessions:

• [Day 1] SQL Basics to Advanced (with Krishna Chaitanya Velaga, Data Scientist-III)

  This session was all about breaking down SQL from the basics to advanced concepts. I explained how to write queries and use them in MediaWiki to manage data. It was a hands-on session, and I really enjoyed sharing what I had learned.

• 

• [Day 8] Essential Tools for Wiki Contribution (with Krupal Kasyap)

  In this session, I introduced tools like Phabricator, XTools and other platforms that make contributing to Wikimedia easier. The participants were super engaged, asking lots of questions, which made the session even more fun.

• 

Being a mentor was a new experience for me, and it showed me just how much I had grown. A few months ago, I was the one learning—and now I was the one teaching.

Taking the Next Step

Because of my hard work and the encouragement I received, I got to attend two big Wikimedia events:

Wiki 3rd Tech Summit in Hyderabad

When I received the selection email about the 3rd Wikimedia Technology Summit (WTS 2024), Hyderabad, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I was overjoyed because I’m always curious to learn new things, and this was the perfect opportunity. Without hesitation, I packed my bags and headed to Hyderabad with my team, eager to experience what this event had to offer.

And what makes this moment even more special is that, this achievement got featured in the newspaper! Seeing SHUATS highlighted for this opportunity is a moment of pride for me and everyone associated with the institution. This opportunity feels like a milestone in my journey, and I am incredibly proud to represent SHUATS at such a significant event.

From the moment I stepped in, the environment felt warm and welcoming—almost like being at home.

The people were incredibly friendly and helpful, treating each other like family members. It didn’t matter your age, gender, or level of knowledge—everyone was there to support and uplift one another. It was a space where doubts were openly addressed, connections were made, and everyone shared a collective eagerness to learn and explore.

One of the most inspiring parts of the summit was how seamlessly Wiki-pedians and
Wiki-medians connected. There was no barrier to networking; you could approach anyone at any time. Every second felt like an opportunity to learn something new, and I soaked up every bit of it.

During the summit, I had the chance to meet one of the most knowledgeable Wikimedians, Abhijeet Patro, Staff Software Engineer, Language Engineering, Wikimedia Foundation.

He had an incredible depth of expertise in Wikimedia open source and was generous in sharing it. He guided me on how to approach larger projects, which not only helped me sharpen my skills but also gave me the confidence to tackle more ambitious challenges in the future. His mentorship was one of the highlights of the event for me.

As the summit came to an end, we wrapped up with a group photography session. It was a beautiful way to celebrate the connections we had made and the knowledge we had gained. We shared ideas, made plans to collaborate on bigger projects, and left with a renewed sense of purpose and community.

Attending the Wiki 3rd Tech Summit, Hyderabad, was an unforgettable experience. It wasn’t just about learning technical skills; it was about being part of a community that thrives on collaboration, respect, and mutual growth.

Indic Wiki Hackathon in Bhubaneswar (BBSR)

The Indic Wiki Hackathon in Bhubaneswar (BBSR) was a three-day event, but what made it unique and exciting was how different it was from other hackathons. Typically, in hackathons, the main focus is on completing projects and being the best—there’s usually one winner, and the competition is intense. But here, the approach was completely different.

The goal wasn’t about winning as an individual but about collectively succeeding as a community. The focus was on learning together, sharing knowledge, and getting familiar with the Wikimedia ecosystem. It was a true celebration of collaboration. Students and contributors from all over India participated—some from Delhi University, some from southern states, and various Wikimedia communities like the Malayalam and Odia communities. Of course, we also had our own group, WikiClub Tech, representing!

One moment that stood out for me during this hackathon was when I unexpectedly saw Abhijeet Patro again. I didn’t know he would be there, and seeing him in person surprised me in the best way. I was so excited that I literally jumped and ran to greet him. His presence added so much energy to the event, and he continued to guide me and many others throughout the hackathon.

The hackathon started with tasks already assigned to participants, each with an individual mentor. Some of the mentors included Abhijeet Patro, Gopa, Krishna Chaitanya (KC), Jay Prakash, Satdeep Gill, and Jinoy, among others.

I was assigned two tasks during the hackathon:

1. Developing a tool to help with the Transliteration Tool for Indic languages.

   I worked on these tasks with guidance from Abhijeet Patro and Satdeep Gill. Abhijeet, in particular, was incredibly helpful and made the whole process smooth and enjoyable. Completing these tasks with their mentorship felt like a big achievement.

2. Adding type hinting to MediaWiki code following PEP 484 standards.

   This task was mentored by Jay Prakash, who provided valuable guidance throughout the process. His support made the task much more manageable and enjoyable, and completing it under his mentorship felt like a significant achievement.

The daily routine was simple yet intense: hacking sessions followed by informative talks, then lunch, and back to work again. It was a cycle of “work, eat, repeat,” but it never felt tiring because of the incredible energy and enthussiasm in the room.

On the last day, we wrapped up the hackathon with a social tour to Udaigiri and Khandagiri Hills, which was a refreshing change of pace. The tour gave us a chance to unwind and connect with each other outside of work.

The Indic Wiki Hackathon wasn’t just about solving problems or writing code; it was about coming together as a community to learn, grow, and share experiences. It showed me the true spirit of open-source collaboration, and I left feeling inspired and motivated to contribute even more.

Road to Wiki Graduation Day on 27th-28th February at Hyaat, Gurgaon

On February 26, 2024, our journey commenced as the core team and organizers set out for Lucknow. We planned to arrive a day early to ensure a smooth transition for our trip to Delhi the next day.

Arrival in Delhi & The Grand RoadToWiki Kickoff (Feb 27, 2024)

We reached Delhi by 3 PM and headed straight to our hotel, Hyatt Place. After a long journey, the first thing I did was take a refreshing swim—exactly what I needed before diving into the exciting events ahead!

By 5:30 PM, the much-anticipated RoadToWiki Cohort 1 officially began. As an organizing team member, I helped manage the event while also engaging with incredible people. I had the opportunity to meet Rachit, Nitesh, Gopa, Nivas, Satdeep, and many developers from different regions, all sharing a deep passion for open-source contributions.

Engaging Activities & Interactive Challenges

The evening was packed with engaging activities that encouraged teamwork, strategy, and creativity. Some highlights included:

🔹 The Wooden Block Challenge – A test of patience and teamwork as we built towering structures with a twist: pulling specific blocks caused the whole tower to collapse!

🔹 The Thread Stability Challenge – A deceptively simple yet tricky task that required precision and focus.

🔹 Dancing & Graduation Ceremony – The night ended with laughter, dance, and a special graduation cap ceremony to celebrate our journey in the cohort. We captured countless memories through photos, marking the perfect end to the day. After an eventful evening, we rested at the hotel, eagerly anticipating the next day’s grand experience.

Day 2 – A Dream Come True: Visiting the Meta Office (Feb 28, 2024)

The morning of February 28 began with a thrilling surprise—a visit to the Meta Office in Gurgaon!

As I stood before the Meta Office, I had to take a moment to let it all sink in. It felt surreal to be at the very place where platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp are built. A moment of awe washed over me, reminding me of how far we had come on this journey.

Inside Meta: Learning from Industry Experts After registering our credentials, we received Business ID cards, granting us access to the Meta workspace and exclusive sessions.

🔹 Quiz Competition – The day kicked off with an interactive quiz on open-source contributions and MediaWiki, reinforcing our learning in a fun way.

🔹 Expert Sessions & Insights – Industry leaders shared their knowledge:

Abhijeet Patro provided a complete roadmap for MediaWiki contributions.

Vasanth Gopa discussed the Advanced Cohort for deeper engagement.

Praveen Das explained the backbone of Wikimedia operations.

Ankit Kumar Verma shared his vision for WikiClub Tech and the future of open-source contributions.

🔹 Networking & Mentorship – Developers from institutions like Chitkara, Alva’s, UIT, SIET, UCER, and SHUATS (my college!) participated in open discussions, where we had the chance to interact directly with mentors and experts.

Mentorship Task Presentations – A Proud Moment

One of the most fulfilling parts of the event was the Mentorship Task Presentations. Each mentor showcased their team’s contributions, and as the mentor of Group 3, I proudly presented our work. Standing in front of such an esteemed audience and sharing our journey was a moment of immense pride!

The Grand Finale – Photos & Swag!

Before wrapping up, we captured our best moments at Meta Office with a grand photo session. As a token of appreciation, we received exciting swags, making this experience even more memorable.

Final Reflections & Gratitude

Being part of RoadToWiki Cohort 1 as a mentor has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I am deeply grateful to Ankit Kumar Verma and WikiClub Tech for organizing such a phenomenal event that empowered us to grow, learn, and contribute meaningfully.

A special thanks to Praveen Das, whose guidance made this journey even more enriching. His passion for Wikimedia is truly inspiring, and meeting him was one of the biggest highlights of the trip.

This journey has been transformational—from understanding the depth of open-source contributions to getting a closer look at the tech industry. I am eager to continue my journey in MediaWiki and open-source development.

Looking Ahead The RoadToWiki experience has opened my eyes to endless opportunities within the Wikimedia ecosystem. There is so much more to explore, learn, and contribute, and I look forward to taking this journey further!