WordCamp Asia 2026 Recap: A Story of People and Community
The past two weeks felt unusually quiet: my phone and laptop no longer flooded with Slack notifications. I’d check them out of habit, surprised to see nothing.
And then I’d remind myself: WordCamp Asia 2026 is over.
Yes, the buzz that began 10 months ago has been concluded successfully!
Led by an organizing committee of 76 and supported by 115 volunteers, WordCamp Asia 2026 brought together over 2,300 open-source enthusiasts from 48 countries. For three days, the Jio World Convention Centre was filled with knowledge sharing, collaboration, and plenty of fun.
I’m incredibly proud to have been one of those organizers and to have served as a Co-Lead of the Communications team, responsible for content, marketing, and public relations for the entire event.
Ours was the team that worked closely with every other team to ensure consistency in messaging throughout the event. And that’s where the buzz came from: constant Slack notifications of being tagged @commsteam, and sometimes @sunitarai too.
At times, it felt overwhelming, even enough to make me think about stepping away. But pausing, staying patient, and the community spirit of WordPress helped me get through it.
More importantly, the steady support from my Co-Leads—especially Arundhati Kane—and the dedication of the entire team kept us moving forward.
This recap is my attempt to share a glimpse into what it’s like to organize a WordCamp from the Communications team’s side, and some bits about what a Team Co-Lead’s job really involves.
I hope it helps someone considering a similar role at the upcoming WordCamp Asia 2027 or any WordCamp ahead.
Joining the Organizing Team Was Personal
This was my second time joining the largest open-source web conference in Asia as a co-organizer. My first was at WordCamp Asia 2025 in Manila, Philippines, where I served on the Program team.
Check my detailed article on the WordCamp Asia 2025 organizing journey.
Back then, my motivation was simple—work with a diverse group of web professionals across Asia, reconnect with old friends, meet new ones, and give back to the WordPress community.
But WordCamp Asia 2026 in Mumbai, India, felt more personal.
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For the first time, the conference was coming to our region, South Asia. So, as a South Asian, I felt a sense of responsibility for its success.
With the remnants of colonial prejudices in the background, I felt it was our opportunity to debunk myths and misconceptions about countries like ours in the Global South.
On the other hand, India being the host country meant me being able to attend and contribute without going through the tiring visa process.
Nepal and India aren’t just neighbours but share a long, deep, and multifaceted relationship that goes back centuries. It includes the ease of travel between the two countries without a visa, therefore, a smoother experience for me.
So when Mumbai was announced as the host city at the closing ceremony of WordCamp Asia 2025, I knew I wanted to be part of it again. I applied without hesitation.
The acceptance email landed in my inbox on May 7, 2025, and that’s where the journey began.
Collaborating Online for 10 Months with Strangers — Only WordPress Makes It Possible
Collaborating online for 10 long months, mostly with people you’ve never met, is something only an open-source community like WordPress can make possible.
Our team of eight was largely made up of strangers.
I knew Mainul Kabir Aion from previous WordCamps, and we had also co-organized WordCamp Asia 2025. I had met Tahir Shahzad during WordCamp Asia 2025, where he was also a co-organizer.
I knew Nikita Sawarkar online as a WordPress community member and fellow blogger. But I had never met my Co-Leads, Arundhati Kane and Ritu Priya, nor my teammates Shruti Sona and Priyanka Adhikari.
After some onboarding steps, we officially met for the first time at the first Town Hall meeting on July 3, 2025. But it barely offered us space to know one another, except for our names, as it was attended by a majority of the entire organizing committee of 70+ people.
Then came our first team meeting on July 14, 2025. It was on this day that we saw the faces behind the names and started the personal connections online, leading to the beautiful friendships we have formed today.
Inside the Work of the Communications Team
First things first, we had to decide on a weekly meeting time. After sharing our availability and preferences, we settled on Mondays at 6:30 PM IST. That’s how our first meeting was scheduled, and hosting it was my first challenge as a Team Co-Lead.
Thankfully, it was a light and welcoming session. We focused on getting to know each other, ensuring everyone had access to the necessary tools, and walking through our responsibilities, communication platforms, and the types of content we would handle.
We also discussed how to get started in a way that was effective, efficient, and still enjoyable.
The next few weeks were about building clarity—on tools, workflows, and how we would operate as a team.
We worked on maintaining consistency in our content and began creating essential documents like the Writing Style Guide and the Communications Team Handbook.
At the same time, we started brainstorming content for WordCamp Asia’s official blog and social media. We explored different campaign ideas and mapped out content directions leading up to the event.
July and August felt relatively calm, as all teams were just getting started. From September onward, things picked up. We began receiving content from other teams—Program’s “Call for Speakers,” Volunteers’ “Call for Volunteers,” Sponsors’ “Call for Sponsors,” and our own “Call for Media Partners.”
Our role was to shape these into announcement posts for the website, adapt them for social media, and share them through newsletters.
Next came one of the biggest tasks; the website homepage. As the main landing page, it carried a lot of weight. Our team worked through multiple drafts internally and then it was shared with the the Leadership Team. It went through several rounds of refinement even after that and was collectively finalised with the Leads on a group call.
Volunteering Hard
Although I signed up as a volunteer co-organizer, there were times when the workload felt heavier than my full-time job. The lines between professional work and volunteering were blurred on some days.
In retrospect, I realize I sometimes struggled to see the bigger picture of team collaboration. A clearer division of work could have made things different.
Things became particularly challenging toward the end of 2025. As different calls for participation went live, we began receiving feedback and, at times, grievances from within the organizing team.
There were also increased questions and expectations from the Communications team, especially when certain calls didn’t receive the expected response.
While communication and marketing play a significant role, they aren’t the only factors behind outcomes like these.
Still, I took those comments seriously. Maybe as Team Co-Lead, more responsible. At times, they felt frustrating and demotivating, leading me to the thought of stepping away.
Lessons Learnt
Despite the challenges, our team stayed committed. We took feedback with an open mind, improved our approach, experimented with different content formats, brought in media partners, and explored collaborations.
Slowly, the momentum picked up, and the “buzz” we were expected to create started to build.
Looking back, I learnt an important lesson about teamwork and leadership. I had taken some of the criticism too personally and assumed more responsibility than I should have. In reality, it was a shared effort.
Working in a volunteer-driven team like WordCamp Asia is very different from a full-time role. Everyone is contributing their time and energy voluntarily.
You learn to respect that, trust your team, and understand that leadership here is less about control and more about collaboration.
These lessons, however, came the hard way. I had to take breaks due to my health and exams, and during that time, my Co-Lead, Arundhati Kane, took charge solely.
When I returned, I saw that the Communications team was doing just fine, or maybe better. It was a humbling reminder of the strength of teamwork and the importance of trust.
I’m deeply grateful to the entire team for their integrity, commitment, and the effort they put into making the event a success.
What Could Have Been Better
One area that could have been improved was team leadership experience. Many organizers this year had contributed in previous editions, and it might have helped if Team Co-Leads were selected from those with prior experience in the same team.
In our case, Ritu Priya, Arundhati Kane, and I were Co-Leads of the Communications team, but none of us had previously worked in this team for WordCamp Asia. Only one team member, Mainul, had that experience.
At times, I felt that prior experience would have helped with better planning, especially in creating a time-based task calendar. Instead, we often worked reactively as tasks came up.
This thought came to mind many times: Had I been in the Program team again, I would have likely been able to plan more proactively, drawing from my experience the previous year.
Regardless, we got our hands dirty and learnt along the way!
Collaborating Live in Mumbai After 10 Months Online
On April 8, 2026, we met as co-organizers at the WordCamp Asia 2026 venue, Jio World Convention Centre, for the first time.
I had already met Arundhati a couple of days earlier; she had kindly invited my Nepali group and me to her home for a Vada Pav treat. Met Shruti Sona and Priyanka Adhikari, in person for the first time, and it was special.
However, it was only half of our team. Ritu Priya and Nikita Sawarkar couldn’t attend due to personal reasons, while Mainul Kabir Aion and Tahir Shahzad faced visa issues. We missed them deeply; it would have been even more memorable with everyone together.
During the three conference days (April 9,10,11), the four of us divided responsibilities on-site while staying connected with teammates working remotely. Tahir Shahzad, in particular, was a huge support, helping us publish social media posts during the event.
As planned, Arundhati, Shruti, and I each took charge of writing one day’s recap. The rest focused on live social media updates, working closely with the design team, photography volunteers, and other teams. Priyanka, along with a volunteer, handled video recordings—and did an incredible job.
Amidst the work, we found time to talk, laugh, tease each other, and even squeeze in a team photoshoot.
Those three days made me realize how powerful in-person collaboration is. In 10 months, we had shared stories and updates but working side by side revealed far more about each other than all those months combined.
WordCamps are special in that way. They bring together people from across the world who collaborate online for months and then give them a chance to truly connect in person.
Beyond borders, cultures, and backgrounds, it’s the shared spirit of contribution that brings everyone together. That human side of the WordPress community, something we don’t talk about enough, is what I value the most.
Kudos to the Leadership Team
Probably, WordCamp Asia 2026 felt even more personal to me as two members of the Leadership team were people I knew so well and had previously worked with in earlier WordCamps.
I had worked with Regan Khadgi Dai (elder brother, in Nepali) in the Speakers team for WordCamp Kathmandu 2022, my first experience as a WordCamp co-organizer. I learned a great deal from him.
With Meher Bala, I worked in the Program team for WordCamp Asia 2025, where she was the Team Lead.
The next lead, Vachan Kudmule, was also a co-organizer in WordCamp Asia 2025, but we never had to collaborate, nor did we talk during the event. At some of our meetings for this event, he had introduced himself as an introverted person.
However, I saw him step confidently into his leadership role during WordCamp Asia 2026 event days. He interacted with everyone warmly and consistently, which was quite unexpected in the best way. Over the three conference days, I saw him as one of the calmest and most composed among the four leads.
Aditya Kane, on the other hand, was a complete stranger to me until he was announced as a Lead during the closing ceremony of WordCamp Asia 2025.
I later followed him on X and explored his blog, which immediately caught my interest due to our shared curiosity in books and philosophy. Since then, I’ve become a regular reader of his writing.
With that introduction, I’d like to take a moment to appreciate all the Leads for their tireless effort in guiding such a large-scale event. Despite the pressure of keeping everything on track, they showed steady commitment and calm leadership throughout.
Even in moments of uncertainty, they carried themselves with confidence, which helped keep the entire team moving forward.
Over the 10 months of online collaboration, the Communications team worked more closely with Aditya and Meher, as they were directly involved in coordinating with us.
Aditya also contributed valuable input on content and ideas, drawing from his strong experience in blogging and writing.
Regan Dai was someone I could openly share my concerns with in Nepali. He always listened and encouraged me to keep going.
Last but not the least, a heartfelt thanks to the Leads for organizing a generous organizers’ dinner on April 8. Although it was initially cut due to budget constraints, they took the responsibility on their shoulders to ensure it still happened, helping keep morale high among organizers.
Thank you, Leads—you led with dedication and power.
Missed My Bangladeshi Friends
Despite everything that went well, I honestly admit that I missed my Bangladeshi friends at this WordCamp.
First of all, Mainul from Bangladesh and Tahir from Pakistan, both part of our team, could not join, and we truly missed their presence.
Beyond them, I’ve also made many friends from the Bangladeshi WordPress community over the years.
They are among the most enthusiastic WordCamp participants I’ve met. Whenever a WordCamp is held in Nepal, we see strong participation from Bangladesh, and my own visit to WordCamp Sylhet 2023 helped me build lasting friendships.
Unfortunately, due to recent political and visa-related challenges, many community members from Bangladesh were unable to attend WordCamp Asia 2026.
I know the leadership team made sincere efforts to support visa processes for community members, but the outcome was still limited.
I deeply missed you all and hope to meet again at a future WordCamp.
Wrapping Up and Looking Forward
Before I conclude, I want to thank all the teams we collaborated with for this event.
Most of our close collaboration was with the Design team and its Co-Leads, Diana Tupas and Pooja Srivastava. Thank you both so much—you’re amazing.
I know we all had a lot on our plates, and at times my messages may have added to that load, but I truly appreciate your patience, dedication, and consistent effort in handling every task with care.
To all the team Co-Leads, thank you for leading with grace and for the smooth collaboration throughout. To all the organizers of WordCamp Asia 2026; kudos to us, we did it! It was a pleasure working alongside you all.
To my team, I genuinely love you all.
Arundhati Kane, thank you for your tireless and decisive leadership—you truly were the backbone of the Communications Team.
Shruti Sona, your calm confidence, creativity, and ability to get things done brought so much energy to the team.
Priyanka Adhikari, you were a dependable pillar throughout—thank you for everything you contributed.
Ritu Priya, I really valued the calmness, clarity, and confidence you brought to our collaboration. I truly missed meeting you in person and hope we connect at a future WordCamp.
Tahir Shahzad, thank you for taking ownership of key tasks like newsletters and short videos; you truly embodied the spirit of contribution.
Mainul Kabir Aion, a veteran WordPress community member, I often turned to you whenever I felt unsure. You were always the go-to person for guidance.
Nikita Sawarkar, a warm and wonderful person and fellow blogger, you gave your best despite challenges. I couldn’t meet you this time, but I look forward to meeting you in the future.
Last but not least, thank you for the thoughtful gifts: Arundhati Kane, Shruti Sona, Nikita Sawarkar, Yves Tan Wei Zhi, Pooja Srivastava, Ganga Kafle, and Akshaya Rane.
To conclude, I’m deeply grateful to everyone in the WordPress community; whether you attended WordCamp Asia 2026 or not. We all share the same spirit of contribution, and I hope to meet you again at future WordCamps.
To the Mumbai local organizers, thank you for hosting us with such warmth and energy.
And yes, WordCamp Asia 2027 is coming to Penang, Malaysia! The call for organizers is already open >> Click Here to Apply!
Will I apply again? Maybe.
But one thing is certain, I will do my best to be there in one role or another. Until then, I hope to see you all again soon. Namaste 🙏!
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