Sandeep Kumar receives the Yoast Care fund for his contribution to the WordPress community

Meet Sandeep Kumar, a valued member of the WordPress Community Team! His commitment and valuable contributions to the community are why Joel Lobo nominated him for the Yoast Care fund. Let’s learn more about this passionate WordPress enthusiast.

Nominator Joel Lobo: “Sandeep Kumar has been an active member of the WordPress community in India for over 10 years, helping organize events, mentor newcomers, and support community growth. His contributions are visible on his WordPress profile and through his work as Lead Sponsor Wrangler for WordCamp Pune, and now for WordCamp Asia 2026 in Mumbai. Despite financial challenges, Sandeep remains deeply committed. Last year, he left a well-paid tech job to start a home kitchen business with his mother, following his passion for cooking. Even with reduced income, he continues to volunteer his time and energy to WordPress. Support from the Yoast Care Fund would help him sustain his community contributions while growing his food business. Sandeep’s dedication has impacted thousands in India, and supporting him means supporting someone who truly puts the WordPress community first.”

Let’s get to know Sandeep Kumar

That’s quite an introduction, Joel! We would love to get to know Sandeep even better. That’s why we asked him some questions about his work and his passion for WordPress:

Hi, Sandeep! What do you do in the WordPress space?

I work at the intersection of WordPress, business strategy, and community, with over a decade of experience working with WordPress-based platforms.

Professionally, I help organizations use WordPress as a scalable digital experience platform by translating customer and business needs into practical, long-term solutions. My background in sales leadership and consulting allows me to bridge technical teams, product decisions, and stakeholder expectations, particularly within WordPress and WooCommerce-driven ecosystems. On the community side, I am actively involved in leadership and operations. I am an organizer for WordCamp Asia 2026 and WordCamp Pune. I also contribute as a translator and provide peer-to-peer support on the WordPress.org forums, especially for WooCommerce and marketplace-related use cases.

Together, this allows me to contribute not just through output, but by helping strengthen the systems and relationships that keep the WordPress ecosystem sustainable.

What’s one WordPress-related goal you have for this year?

For 2026, one of my biggest WordPress-related goals is to help make WordCamp Asia a truly meaningful and well-run experience for everyone involved.

Since the event is happening in my home country, this feels deeply personal to me. Over the years, through WordCamps, online collaboration, and community interactions, I have consistently experienced the generosity and care that define the global WordPress community. This year, I want to help reflect that same spirit by ensuring that visitors to India feel welcomed, supported, and comfortable throughout the event.

Alongside this, I am keenly interested in how AI can be thoughtfully integrated into WordPress workflows. Rather than approaching AI with anxiety, I want to explore how it can improve accessibility and lower entry barriers for non-developers and first-time contributors. I see AI as a practical tool to help individuals and agencies work more efficiently, gain confidence faster, and participate more actively in the ecosystem.

My goal is to help shape a WordPress community that is both future-ready and genuinely inclusive.

What do you think made you stand out for this nomination?

I want to first acknowledge the countless contributors within the WordPress ecosystem who work tirelessly, often behind the scenes, to keep this project thriving. Their dedication is the backbone of our community, and I am continually inspired by them.

I am incredibly grateful to the Yoast Care team for this recognition. If I had to identify what stood out, I believe it is my commitment to operational reliability and long-term trust. In both my community work and my professional life as a consultant, I’ve always focused on the ‘quiet work’—clear communication, consistent follow-through, and bridging the gap between sponsors, organizers, and users. I believe in a sustainable approach where we don’t just solve a problem for today but build a system that works for the future.

While I am honored by this nomination, I see it as a reflection of the WordPress community’s collaborative spirit. My contributions are only possible because of the trust and opportunities my peers have shared. I am proud to be part of a community that values both the technical output and the human relationships that sustain it.

If you could shape the future of WordPress, what would it look like?

I would like to see WordPress continue to evolve as an open, sustainable ecosystem that balances community values with the realities of modern digital businesses.

A key part of that future is clearer and more inclusive contribution pathways. WordPress depends on a wide range of contributions beyond code, including community operations, documentation, translations, support, and sponsorship management. Making these roles more visible and better supported will help reduce burnout and encourage long-term participation.

At the same time, I believe WordPress needs to strengthen trust with agencies and enterprises by improving clarity around governance, roadmaps, and long-term direction. When businesses understand how and where to invest, they are more likely to contribute meaningfully back to the project.

Ultimately, the future I hope for is one where WordPress remains open and people-driven, while also being dependable, scalable, and relevant for the next generation of users and contributors.

Where may people find you? Online, WordCamps, other meetups?

I’m always open to conversations, interviews, or deep dives into how we can collectively turn WordPress into the business superpower you’ve been looking for. You can catch me in person at WordCamp Asia and WordCamp Pune, or find me online via LinkedIn (kumarsandeepdas), X (@phoodiemonk), or Instagram (@phoodiemonk).

If you happen to be in Pune, let’s skip the boardroom. You’ll likely find me in the kitchen at Phoodiemonk. I’m always happy to discuss community innovation and business logic over some traditional Bengali food; the best ideas usually happen when the food is good, and the conversation is honest.

Thank you for this interview, Sandeep, and for all of your contributions to the WordPress community! Do you know someone like Sandeep Kumar who also deserves to be in the spotlight? Go to our Yoast Care page and nominate them right away.