The BOSM English Press (BEP) met with Esha Shah, one of the Joint Sports Secretaries (JSS) for BOSM 2024, to understand the work of the JSS and their ongoing preparations for the fest.

Esha began by explaining the responsibilities of the JSS. They manage communication between referees and coaches, oversee their accommodation, and handle the procurement of jerseys and jackets for the teams, sports staff, executive committee, and the rest of the organising bodies. Additionally, they ensure the procurement of fest merchandise and facilitate the smooth execution of the BOSM Inauguration and Valedictory ceremonies. The JSS also takes care of securing sports kits and equipment for the various teams, while ensuring that the facilities at SAC and Gym-G are well-maintained and ready for use. Their duties further extend to overseeing financial transactions for non-BOSM sports events and coordinating both on-campus and off-campus publicity for the fest.

The JSS is supported by an executive committee that assists with the event’s logistics. The JSS works closely with the sports team captains to address concerns, manages logistical issues such as uniform procurement, and ensures smooth practice sessions for the sports teams. Furthermore, they are responsible for addressing any sports-related concerns raised by the general body members (GBM).

When asked about the challenges they faced during BOSM preparations, Esha shared that the uncertainty surrounding the convocation dates, as the President was scheduled to visit campus for the event, posed a problem. This created a lot of confusion around the BOSM dates for everyone and impacted their ability to coordinate with various departments and clubs. This also meant that clubs couldn’t finalise dates with their vendors, adding to the complexity of organising the event. Esha went on to highlight budget constraints as another challenge. She explained that they had to cancel a few events and reduce the requirements for certain clubs and departments to accommodate everything within the budget. Furthermore, she mentioned that the budget allocated for the prof show posed a problem until they could finalise an artist that worked within their budget, and with the consensus of all the club coordinators and the CoSSAc.

She also mentioned the ongoing challenge of an accommodation crunch, particularly for the female coaches. Last year, they were housed in the alumni guest house, but this year, the team is still working on finalising suitable accommodation arrangements for them.

Esha noted that their conversations with the Sports Financial Committee (SFC) and the CoSSAc have been very smooth and professional so far. In parting, Esha expressed her excitement about the addition of new events for the fest, particularly Gel Blasters and Crick Zone organised by Radioaktiv at VK Lawns, and was optimistic about the success of the fest.