Wikimedian Nitesh Gill Honoured, made India Proud on an International Platform
Kanwar Inder singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ September 23,2025
Wikimedian Nitesh Gill, who has made significant contributions to the promotion, dissemination, and development of the Punjabi language on digital platforms on the Internet, was recently honoured in Patiala. The felicitation ceremony was jointly organized by the Punjabi Wikimedians User Group and the Mat Bhasha Jagrukta Manch Punjab at Saanjh Sadan, Patiala. The event was presided over by renowned translator and thinker Charan Gill.
This honour was bestowed upon Nitesh Gill in recognition of her receiving an “Honourable Mention” during the Wikimedian of the Year Awards at Wikimania 2025 Conference held recently in Nairobi, Kenya. She was presented with a Phulkari and a memento of honour.
During the event, Kuldeep Burj Bhalaike, coordinator of the Punjabi Wikimedians User Group, stated that this recognition marks the international acknowledgment of Nitesh Gill’s contributions to the Wikimedia movement. He noted that she is one of only three Indians to have received this special honour, including Satdeep Gill, who was awarded in 2015, and now, Nitesh Gill in 2025, exactly ten years later.
Kuldeep shared that Nitesh has been associated with the Punjabi Wikimedia movement for nearly 10 years and is the only female administrator on Punjabi Wikipedia. She successfully completed the #100WikiDays Challenge, during which she wrote over 2200 female biographies. She is also the founder of the “She Leads” program.
After completing her M.A. from Punjabi University, she earned her M.Phil. from Delhi University, where she is currently pursuing her Ph.D. She worked as a Program Officer at the Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore for six years and is now affiliated with IIIT Hyderabad in the same role.
Additionally, she has translated two books into Punjabi: “Bambe Baar” and “Bhaaf de ghar vich sheeshe di kudi”.
In his presidential address, Charan Gill remarked that Nitesh Gill’s work is not just exemplary for the Punjabi language but is a shining example for the entire Wikimedia movement. Through her relentless efforts, she has elevated the presence of Punjabi on digital platforms. Most importantly, by increasing the representation of women-related content, she has made a substantial contribution to the cause of social equality. Her honour serves as an inspiration for anyone wishing to work in the fields of language and knowledge.
Senior Wikimedian Satdeep Gill, sharing his thoughts, said, “A decade ago when I was honoured with this recognition, the Punjabi Wikimedia community was just beginning to take shape. Thanks to dedicated volunteers like Nitesh, our community has not only grown but also gained international recognition. Her work is a matter of pride for all of us.”
Aman Arora, Media In-charge of the Wikimedian User Group and volunteer, said that Nitesh’s contributions go far beyond writing articles. She has played a key role in training new volunteers and launching new projects. He described her as the backbone of Punjabi Wikimedia, crediting her hard work for the heights the movement has reached today.
In her address, Nitesh Gill expressed her gratitude to both organizations for the honour and pledged to continue contributing to the cause in the future.
Among those present at the event were Wikimedians Gurmail Kaur, Kuldeep Singh, Amritpal Kaur Aman, Vinod Bali, Ramanpreet Kaur Bali, Ravinder Ravi, Advocate Saleem Varal and other distinguished guests.
