Announcing the members of the first DCW Executive Board
On February 28th, the Deoband Community Wikimedia published a call for candidates to organize its first board elections. We received a total of five candidacies, and the elections were organized using a Secure Poll from March 15 to 24, 2025, with approximately 75 community members participating in the voting process.
As the elections have completed, we welcome 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 member's term will expire on March 31, 2028, except for Faiz, who will remain an observer member until March 31, 2026.
What capacities do the board members bring to the table?
Ariba Shoaib holds a BSc in Mathematics with a focus on Computer Science and is currently pursuing an MSc in Mathematics at Jamia Millia Islamia. She has contributed to the evaluation and development of the DCW Conversation Hour since September 2024, bringing 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 her a chemist's thought process and a chemical analytical mind. She has been a Wikimedian since October 2023 and has led Wiki Club AMU for a considerable time.
Ikhlas is an experienced Wikimedian who takes a keen interest in movement organizing, serving as an active member of the Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group and several DCW initiatives. He is a WikiConference India 2023 scholar and has been a Wikimedian since May 2022. His skill-set brings us diverse experience in digital communication and outreach. Faiz, who will serve as an Observer Member for a term of one year, is a graduate student at IIT, Madras, specializing in Data Science. 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. They will also be joined by a group of three advisory members associated with our Wiki Clubs.