Announcing the members of the first DCW Executive Board
On February 28th, the Deoband Community Wikimedia published a call for candidates to organise its first board elections. We received a total of five candidacies, and the elections were organised using a Secure Poll from March 15 to 24, 2025. As the elections have completed, we invite Ariba Shoaib, Faiz, Ikhlas, and Samiya Ahmed to the board. All of them bring diverse knowledge and expertise to the table under the chair of Aafi, who holds the founder's seat on the Board. The terms of all of the members will expire on 31 March 2028, except that of Faiz, who will be an observer member until 31 March 2026.
What capacities do the board members bring along?
Ariba Shoaib has a BSc in Mathematics (with Computer Science), and is currently pursuing an MSc. in Mathematics at Jamia Millia Islamia. She has contributed to the evaluation and development of DCW Conversation Hour since September 2024, and brings several technical skills with her. Samiya Ahmed holds a BSc. (Hons), in Chemistry, and is currently pursuing an MSc. at Aligarh Muslim University. She brings with herself a chemist's thought-process and an chemical analytical mind. She has been a Wikimedian since October 2023, and is led Wiki Club AMU for a considerable time.
Ikhlas is an experienced Wikimedian who takes keen interest as a movement organiser. He is a WikiConference India 2023 scholar, and has been a Wikimedian since May 2022. His skillset brings us diverse experience in digital communication and outreach. Faiz, who will be an Observer Member for a term of one year, is a graduate student at IIT, Madras. He is a skilled Wikimedian, experienced in handling disruption and vandalism. During his student exchange program, he established a Wikipedia Club at Woodland Park High School, in Colorado - showcasing his commitment to youth engagement in the movement.
What next
The board members are expected to conduct an introductory meeting in the first week of April 2025 to curate their plans for the term they are serving.