Kerala Open Source Communities Mark 25 Years of Drupal and Wikipedia in Thiruvananthapuram

Drupal Trivandrum, Wikimedians of Kerala, and FSUG Trivandrum marked 25 years of Drupal and Wikipedia on January 15, 2026, with a joint community celebration at the International Centre for Free and Open Source Software in Thiruvananthapuram.

The event brought together developers, open-knowledge contributors, students, and industry representatives to reflect on the shared legacy of two global open source platforms launched in 2001. Organisers described the gathering as a reaffirmation of community ownership, collaboration, and openness that continue to define both projects.

Drupal began as a student-led experiment by Dries Buytaert and grew into one of the world’s most widely used open source content management platforms. Wikipedia was launched by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger as a free online encyclopedia and evolved from the earlier Nupedia project. Though both started with small teams, they expanded through sustained community contribution and collective stewardship.

Dr. Sunil Thomas Thonikuzhiyil, Director of ICFOSS, presided over the programme. He spoke about the weakening grassroots presence of open source in Kerala and the structural limitations faced by institutions in expanding free and open source adoption across the state. He urged communities to rebuild participation and strengthen local ecosystems.

Sebin A. Jacob, Editor-in-Chief of The DropTimes and President of Swathanthra Malayalam Computing, traced Drupal’s journey from its early beginnings to its current role in the digital ecosystem. He spoke about the platform’s evolution and the strategic shifts shaping its future. Mujeeb Rahman, representing Wikimedians of Kerala, reflected on Wikipedia’s 25-year journey and its impact on access to knowledge. He also highlighted the role of regional language content and community participation in strengthening the free knowledge movement. Rahman is the producer of IB Computing, a Malayalam technology video channel, and a long-time free software activist.

The organisers announced two new initiatives during the event. Anish A. introduced the “Drupal in a Day” programme to make Drupal more accessible to beginners through structured, hands-on training sessions. The initiative targets students and young professionals and aims to reduce entry barriers to the platform. Kala Jayan, CEO of Linus Technology Solutions, announced the “Wiki Loves Drupal” initiative. The programme seeks to improve Drupal’s presence on Wikipedia through accurate, community-maintained content and closer collaboration between contributors of both platforms.

QED42, the Pune-based Drupal agency specialising in Drupal AI, served as the title sponsor. Akhil Babu, Backend Engineer at QED42, presented an overview of the Drupal AI Initiative and its relevance to Drupal’s future. Zyxware Technologies, Factorial, and Power CMS Technologies supported the event.

Thomas P. Thomas, CEO of Zyxware Technologies, addressed the gathering on the challenges facing Drupal and its community. He spoke about the need for relevance, adaptability, and stronger community ownership. Dr. Rajeev R. R., Head of E-Governance at ICFOSS, spoke on the declining popularity of open source and stressed the need to revive the ecosystem for public digital good.

The celebration ended with a ceremonial cake cutting and community dinner. Organisers said the event marked not just a milestone but a renewed commitment to grow local participation, support new contributors, and sustain open source values in Kerala.