Indian Doctor Dr Netha Hussain Plays Key Role in Wikipedia’s 25th Anniversary

Dr Netha Hussain Recognized in Global Wikipedia 25 Celebrations : Wikipedia, the world’s largest online encyclopaedia, celebrated its 25th anniversary on January 15, 2026, marking a quarter-century of volunteer-driven knowledge sharing.

The Wikimedia Foundation, the charity behind the platform, launched a global “Wikipedia 25” campaign to showcase the site’s history, honor contributors, and invite public participation in its future. Among the highlighted volunteers, Dr Netha Hussain, an Indian-origin doctor working in Sweden, emerged as a key figure during the celebrations.

Early Wikipedia Contributions by Dr Netha Hussain

Dr Netha Hussain, a physician and researcher from Kerala, began editing Wikipedia in 2010 as a first-year medical student at Calicut Medical College. She later completed a PhD in clinical neurology from the University of Gothenburg and specialized in radiology. Over the years, she made thousands of edits in English, Malayalam, and other languages, focusing on healthcare, women’s biographies, and current events.

Dr Netha Hussain’s Contributions During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Her most impactful work came during the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting in mid-2020, Dr Netha Hussain wrote and updated dozens of articles about the virus, translated vital information into Malayalam, and actively countered misinformation. She developed lists of untested treatments, improved vaccine safety content, and ensured verified information reached millions of readers.

Awards and Recognition for Dr Netha Hussain

Her efforts earned several honors:

2020 Women in Open Source Academic Award
United Nations recognition for countering fake news
2021 Wikimedian of the Year honorable mention from Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales

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Dr Netha Hussain and India’s Growing Role in Wikimedia

The Foundation highlighted Dr Netha Hussain’s story to showcase India’s growing engagement with the global Wikimedia movement. India ranks fifth worldwide for Wikipedia page views, with over 800 million monthly, and contributes the third-highest number of editors to English Wikipedia, after the United States and the United Kingdom.

Wikipedia’s Global Reach and Educational Impact

Wikipedia supports over 25 Indic languages, covering nearly all of India’s 22 scheduled languages, making it a vital educational resource for diverse communities. The platform now hosts over 65 million articles in more than 300 languages, receives almost 15 billion visits per month, and remains the only top-ten website worldwide managed by a non-profit.