Kartik Kulkarni

Hi, I am Kartik Kulkarni also known on the IRC as the Count-Dracula. I was introduced to free software about four year ago when I was finding out how to contribute to open-source softwares and how it would help us tremendously if everyone were to share their code to better the world and in that discussion I found out that there was something more than open-source known as free software and that confusion along with excitement that there was a group in our college supporting that lead me join the Free Software Movement Karnataka and thus started my journey towards volunteering and speaking. I joined with my friends at the 4CCon the very next year to volunteer and help others getting started with linux and docker. I met a lot of amazing people from across the nation and found out that there were a lot of organization in Indian itself dealing with free software and legal implications and other things that I did not understand at that point but someway or the other I got to know that there was packaging session on IRC held by Pirate Praveen and I joined in. I got to package a few packages and the excitement I felt when looking at the man page after installing my packaged packages showing my name in the author field was just out of my imagination, I started out attending a lot of meetups and sessions and started giving talks at our college to help others adopt it and slowly it grew to more important things like net neutrality, govt blocking sites without proper reasons, ISP blocking internet to an entire region just for political reasons and a lot more. I tried to involve myself in all these issues and finally on one fine day I was able to attend my first DebConf and the thrill of meeting people just by knowing their irc names was fun. In fact I had met a couple of people earlier in India but I didn't yet know that they also were a part of Debian!. I was able to meet so many amazing people like Jonas and other who helped me understand so many things about Debian that I did not know. It was only after leaving my first DebConf I understood why people were saying that it's not an organization and that it's a family. Tl;Dr I love Debian and want to be a part of the family (even though I consider myself as a part already)

I would like to volunteer my time by packaging and maintaining softwares and by involving myself in the process of both code and non-code contributions whenever possible. My contributions to Debian would be around 6 packages right now and volunteering at video team at debconf and helping others start using Debian or other free software alternatives (if that counts).

I have always wanted to create an application for the process but always hesitated thinking that I might not know much right now but after an urging from one of my friend that it's better to apply sooner than later I have applied now. I hope I can learn more and be a part of Debian family soon.