HAS is one of the busiest clubs in Oasis, with a plethora of events every day. This year they have added a new event to their roster, the Stand Up Soapbox. After the storm of mid-semester exams, and the awkwardly placed holidays, we finally got a chance to have a chat with Saurabh Jain, the coordinator of Hindi Activities Society.

Stand Up Soapbox was a stand-up comedy competition held in Delhi, Bombay, and Bangalore, from where the best performers have been invited to perform as opening acts for N2O. Stand Up Soapbox gives us an opportunity to see new faces in the stand-up comedy scene, and also provides the budding artists a chance to expand their fan base.

Bluffmaster, HAS’s most popular event, is conducted in association with the Hindi Press Club, and will be held on November 3rd. Antakshari, another of HAS’  events, will be held after the inauguration. The other events that they organize are ‘Filmi Muqabla’ and ‘Mock parliament’.

The abnormal timetable of the last few weeks has left the club with very little time. “I was making over a hundred calls a day even when I was home for Diwali. But, it has been a great experience, I have learnt more in these two months than over the past two years”, said Saurabh. Organising N2O and Stand Up Soapbox has given them a good opportunity to explore the world of stand up. HAS consists of people who all share a love for Bollywood, and Oasis gives them a good chance to bond.

Although they had their fair share of problems while preparing for Oasis, Saurabh says that everything is on track now. He plans to complete most pending work by this weekend, leaving  only paperwork and publicity for the last few days. They have learnt from last year’s mistakes, and problems such as the malfunctioning sound system during Antakshari will not repeat.

The Hindi Activities Society seems well prepared for this year’s Oasis and have a good line-up of events. Saurabh ended the interview by saying, “Students shouldn’t take Oasis as a holiday, and participate, as it is a great opportunity to have fun.”