🟢 Now Open — OKI Summer Internship 2026  ·  140 positions  ·  45 days  ·  100% remote  ·  ₹6,000 stipend  ·         🟢 Now Open — OKI Summer Internship 2026  ·  140 positions  ·  45 days  ·  100% remote  ·  ₹6,000 stipend  ·        
अ క ஆ ম ਕ ഇ ব ళ ශ
Open Knowledge Initiatives · RCTS, IIIT Hyderabad

Fostering language diversity and equitable access to knowledge.

Through community-led and multilingual efforts in research, partnerships, technology development, and outreach, OKI seeks to strengthen and expand the open knowledge and technology ecosystem across the Indian subcontinent.

OKI Logo
Wikimedia Communities GLAM Institutions FOSS Movement Indic Languages
About OKI

A new chapter for
open knowledge in India.

The Open Knowledge Initiatives (OKI) programme is a strategic initiative with the aim to foster language diversity and promote equitable access to knowledge across the Indian subcontinent. We join hands with diverse communities to build inclusive, multilingual spaces for collaboration, innovation, and exchange. This includes Indian language Wikimedia communities, Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) institutions, and other entities in the free and open-source and larger open knowledge movements.

We aim to work closely with collaborators across academia, industry, civil society, policy, and practice to realise the above objectives. Together, we strive to reshape the knowledge and technology landscape in the Indian subcontinent, making it more accessible, equitable, and reflective of our cultural and linguistic richness.

New Chapter · May 2025

A2K's Strategic Integration with IIIT Hyderabad

Over the past decade, the Access to Knowledge (A2K) programme at the Centre for Internet and Society played a pivotal role as a movement partner for the Wikimedia Foundation in shaping the Wikimedia movement in India. Through sustained efforts to support Indic language communities, A2K championed the development of free knowledge ecosystems rooted in linguistic and cultural diversity.

The team led impactful initiatives in community capacity building, content creation, and technology development tailored to the needs of underrepresented languages — from fostering local leadership and organising national-level events to supporting technical contributions and strategic partnerships.

Building on this legacy, in May 2025 the A2K programme began a new chapter through a strategic integration with the Raj Reddy Centre for Technology and Society (RCTS) at IIIT Hyderabad. The OKI team will now continue and expand A2K's mission — deepening its commitment to open knowledge, supporting Indic language communities, and strengthening the broader Wikimedia and digital commons ecosystem in India and beyond.

Our Mission

Two interconnected goals.

The mission of OKI centres around advancing language diversity and expanding equitable access to knowledge — Advancing language diversity and expanding equitable access to knowledge to support and augment the open knowledge and technology ecosystem across the Indic languages.

🌐

Supporting the growth and diversification of open knowledge communities in Indic languages

This includes nurturing community-driven, multilingual engagement through research, technology development, outreach, and strategic partnerships. Special emphasis is placed on reaching and empowering communities across the global majority.

🔗

Building networks and shaping the future of the digital commons

By fostering collaborations with cultural institutions, academia, creative practitioners, industry, civil society organisations, and policymakers, the programme aims to strengthen and diversify our efforts to support the open knowledge and technology ecosystem. It also focuses on building capacity and thought leadership to promote innovation, inclusivity, and access within the digital public good landscape.

Our Goals

What we are
working towards.

OKI's work is organised around seven strategic goals — each addressing a distinct dimension of the open knowledge and technology ecosystem across Indic languages and communities.

01

Capacity Building & Community Leadership Development

Equipping individuals and communities with skills, frameworks, and networks to contribute to and lead open knowledge efforts sustainably.

02

Community Support & Inclusive Outreach

Actively reaching underserved and underrepresented communities — ensuring that participation in open knowledge is not limited by geography, language, or access.

03

Exploring Synergy with Key Stakeholders

Bridging the open movement with academia, industry, policy, creative practice, and civil society to unlock new forms of collaboration and impact.

04

Research & Thought Leadership

Producing rigorous research, documentation, and analysis that advances understanding of open knowledge ecosystems and informs practice and policy.

05

Strategic Partnerships

Building long-term relationships with institutions and organisations — from Wikimedia affiliates to cultural institutions — that share OKI's commitment to open, equitable knowledge.

06

Technological Innovation for Indic & Global Majority Communities

Developing open-source tools and language technologies that are purpose-built for the needs and contexts of Indic and global majority communities.

07

Technology Outreach

Ensuring communities are aware of, have access to, and are empowered to use technology that supports open knowledge creation and sharing in their languages.

The Team

People behind the mission.

Prof Vasudeva Varma

Prof. Vasudeva Varma

Principal Investigator (PI)
TH

Tanveer Hasan

Advisor
Sneha PP

Sneha PP

Senior Research Manager
Pavan Santhosh S

Pavan Santhosh Surampudi

Program Manager
Nagaraj MP

Nagaraj MP

Finance Manager
Kasyap P

Krupal Kasyap Palivela

Senior Program Officer
Subodh K

Subodh Kulkarni

Senior Program Officer
Medini KN

Medini KN

Program Officer
Nitesh G

Nitesh Gill

Program Officer
Ankit V

Ankit Kumar Verma

Program Associate
NR

Nivas R

Program Associate
Work With Us

Open opportunities at OKI.

OKI – IIIT Hyderabad Summer Internship 2026

Role: Open Knowledge Project Intern Mode: 100% Remote / Online Duration: 45 Days Positions: 140 (max 10 per language) Stipend: ₹6,000 on completion
Now Open · Summer 2026

India's linguistic heritage is vast, but much of its literature still remains inaccessible in digital form. We are inviting 140 motivated university students to participate in a 45-day online internship focused on digitising and preserving public domain literature in Indian languages. Interns will help build a shared digital library and contribute to making knowledge freely accessible through open platforms such as Wikisource and Wikidata.

Key Responsibilities

  • Digitisation & OCR Processing — extract, review, and correct text from scanned books
  • Publishing on Wikisource — upload, proofread, and structure public domain literature
  • Wikidata Contributions — create and enhance structured data for books, authors, and publishers
  • Language Technology Testing — assist in testing and improving language-specific digital tools

Target Languages

Telugu, Urdu, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati, Punjabi, Odia, Assamese, Malayalam, Sanskrit, Hindi, and English.

Eligibility

  • Currently enrolled in a university in India
  • Fluent in reading, writing, and typing in at least one target language
  • Basic computer skills and a reliable internet connection
  • Interest in open knowledge, digital preservation, or language technology
  • Preferred: prior contributions to Wikisource, Wikipedia, or Wikidata

Selection Process

  1. Application Screening Shortlisting based on eligibility and language proficiency
  2. 7-Day Online Bootcamp Training on digitisation workflows, OCR tools, Wikisource, and Wikidata
  3. Practical Screening Test Assessment at the end of the bootcamp
  4. Final Selection Top 140 candidates join the 45-day internship

What You Will Gain

  • ₹6,000 stipend upon successful completion (top 42 students); certificate of internship for all participants
  • Hands-on experience with OCR workflows, digital archiving, and structured data platforms
  • Exposure to a national digital knowledge initiative
  • The opportunity to contribute to preserving India's literary heritage for future generations

If you are passionate about language, technology, and open knowledge, this internship offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Apply Now