WordPress Bhopal has been at the forefront when it comes to igniting young minds, empowering them with knowledge, generating new ways to achieve optimal and maximum value, and sparking a positive social impact— kind of feels like a motto.
We love doing all of it!
And as we proudly complete our 10th year of formation (Oct. 2nd, just around the corner!), this year in particular, we’ve been targeting ways to amplify our impact. A special highlight was EmpowerWP Bhopal (Women’s Day event), where we hosted women in different stages & walks of their lives and demonstrated how WordPress & the community can support them in achieving/expanding their potential. The response was heartwarming.
Read more about EmpowerWP Bhopal 2025
Post this event’s success, and that of last year’s do_action, where we empowered NGOs by building their websites, it felt only natural that the next chapter in our mission of empowering society should focus on the students.
And honestly, why we feel more drawn towards the student community can be traced back to the fact that the genesis of the WP Bhopal community itself was by a second-year college student back in 2015. Ever since, we’ve been taking workshops in colleges of our city, but this year, it was more about formalising it and making it more impactful & grander than ever.
Being the only active chapter in the State of Madhya Pradesh—a state with 55 districts and over 400 cities—there has always been a push to take our initiative beyond our home, Bhopal.
I still vividly remember while pitching sponsors for WordCamp Bhopal 2023, the idea kept resurfacing: the student community must benefit from this. The lack of exposure and the gap between theory & practical skills is profusely felt. Aditya often mentions that when he started with WordPress, it was purely out of his own interest, not something taught or exposed to him in his institute. For him, building websites was uncommon among his batchmates. And the truth is, the situation hasn’t changed, and we still need revitalisation to help the youth realise their potential. This became the agenda of this initiative.
Too much foundation-building… now’s the time to reveal what I’ve so heartily been tucking in…
We are so proud & delighted to share that possibly the biggest event of our community, benefitting 1700+ students in one go, has been wrapped successfully — The WP Build Tour 2025!
What’s in the Name? And Why This Matters.
The name came after much thought. We wanted it to reflect the core idea: Tour to capture the essence of a tour bus going around the State, empowering students (especially first-timers) to Build their very first WordPress websites, apart from expanding their technical confidence.
The mission was rooted in our identity as the only active WP chapter in Madhya Pradesh:
- Expanding our reach to more students across the State.
- Spreading WordPress awareness to inspire new local chapters
- Giving students confidence to bring their ideas online
This plan was a win-win for the community, for us personally and for the social cause we stand for.
The Planning Phase: How Did We Pull This Off?
The initial plan was to cover colleges in major cities. Ties with GDG (Google Developer Groups) communities and college clubs helped spread the word and support with arrangements that differed from college to college.
Interests were called in from colleges. Once we had a number, like the location, student profiles, number of students, etc, we initiated the process. We designated volunteers from each college to act as a bridge, because, of course, they know the best way in there. Each college had between 120-600 students in one sitting.
Thanks to their support, we were able to pull this off smoothly. Special shout-outs to: SIRT Student Body (Bhopal), Advance Studies Club- Medicaps Indore, GDG Indore & E-Cell, SATI Vidisha.
Sessions were designed for all levels, no matter the technical background. We were conscious of common hurdles & from day zero of planning, we decided to remove those barriers at first instance. In this regard, at preliminary registration itself, students were guided to apply for the GitHub Education Pack, so by the event day, they have access to free domains & developer tools. For hosting, we relied on InfinityFree and FreeHosting.com. Sometimes, a challenge was GitHub taking too long to approve the account(s), so the backup was to manage through subdomains and additional free hosting setups.
The setup also included swags and refreshments to keep up with the momentum. Thought was put into keeping those as relevant as possible. Participants were provided with mini cleaning kits to take home. For refreshments, we relied on the quick & easy- Pizzas, Burgers & beverages.
Building Website in a Day: The Possibility
Now that’s a given, building your own website (properly) takes time— planning, ideation, resources, so what’s the catch? No catch, really. Here, with a 4–5 hour workshop, we wanted students to experience the confidence of: “I can actually do this.” The pressure wasn’t to build the whole of it in one day but to cover all the basics then & there. So later, only the refining work remains.
From purchasing a domain, to pointing DNS records, to watching DNS propagation happen live—and finally installing WordPress & start—it was a crash course in turning abstract concepts into real, working websites.
And the output? A portfolio, a blog, a project showcase, even startup ideas. The pride was real. Social media lit up with links saying, “We built this.”
Honestly, we were a little sceptical at times—like when there weren’t many doubts, or when lunch was announced and students walked out. We wondered if they’d even come back. Because this wasn’t meant to be just another attendance exercise, we wanted it to be voluntary, something they chose to be part of.
But there was consensus in the team that even if just one kid shows up, we’ll keep going. And guess what? Not only did they come back, they jumped in with full energy. Doubts, queries, ideas, thoughts—their enthusiasm blew us away. It’s hard to put into words how fascinating it was to see the effort actually paying off. By the end, every participant had not just knowledge but something concrete: a live website, their website! Photos, reels, and hashtags like #WPBuildTourBPL amplified the energy far beyond the classrooms.
Beyond the Website
Though the primary goal was to help students build their own websites from scratch, the sessions were also designed to introduce them to the WordPress community. They covered career opportunities, ways to get involved, and the benefits the community offers. Students were given an overview of how to contribute, how chapters operate, and how they can become a part of the ecosystem. The aim was to make the experience not just hands-on but also empowering—equipping them to pave their own path, with community connection as a strong starting point. This also supports our broader goal of fostering new chapters across the state.
The Route We Took
We’re very thankful to the college administrations of each institute we took the Tour to for their trust and support throughout. This post would be failing in its agenda without giving them due credit for opening their doors and believing in the vision of the WP Build Tour.
Here’s where the Tour travelled:
- Sagar Institute of Research & Technology, Bhopal
- Oriental Institute of Science & Technology, Bhopal
- Samrat Ashok Technological Institute, Vidisha
- Acropolis Institute of Technology & Research, Indore
- Medicaps University, Indore
- Oriental College of Technology, Bhopal
Each stop added its own flavour and warmth. If we could’ve squeezed in more, we surely would have, but even with the stretch, it was worth it.
The social media team was our backbone—announcements, posts, designs, keeping the buzz alive. Big thanks to Mansi (also our go-to content person), along with Md. Farid, Amit & Riddhima. And yep, that cool Build Tour logo you see up there? Amit designed it.
On the ground, Shashank, Kapil, and Shivam held things together—guiding students through technicalities, taking charge of arrangements, managing logistics, and even stepping in as resource persons when needed.
Aditya, Guneet, and Kripesh led as resource persons, bringing not only their WordPress expertise but also their effortless way of connecting with students. (Classic engineers with their own fanbase, haha!)
Mayur, Anshika, Pooja, Malay, Ninay, Roshini, and Prabal each contributed in various roles, adding strength to the endeavour.
The Sponsors who made this Possible
This tour wouldn’t have been possible the way it happened without our incredible sponsors. Gold Sponsors Jetpack, Bluehost, Woo, Hosting.com, Kinsta, StellarWP, and our Bronze Sponsor, ForthFocus.
Their support helped us take the Tour across campuses in the best way possible, provide refreshments and swags, and equip students with the right resources.
And of course, a big thanks to the global WordPress community for having our back throughout!
Moments beyond: In our Hearts
Some moments will stay with us forever:
- The warmth of teamwork, swag, and refreshments turns workshops into mini-celebrations
- The collective gasp when a site went live
- Proud social media posts
- Smiles of giveaway winners walking away with specially curated kits.
Because at its heart, the WP Build Tour 2025 was never just about code or content. It was about confidence. About potential realised. About futures being built—one student, one website, one breakthrough at a time.
Organising events is one thing, and adding purpose to them takes it to another level. For us in Bhopal, organising events has never been just about the “event.” It’s about going a step further and sparking change, no matter how small. Thankfully, the WordPress community has always been open and kind enough to welcome such ideas and encourage us to push boundaries. And for that, we’re so grateful!
The WP Build Tour 2025 wasn’t the end but rather the beginning of a movement. And as we now look forward to WordCamp Bhopal 2025 this December, we carry with us 1,700 sparks of possibility, ready to light up the future of WordPress and beyond.