The Oasis English Press interviewed Aditya Iyer, the coordinator of the Department of Lights, to understand their role in the upcoming fest. Aditya explained that as the name suggests, Lights is responsible for stage lighting, but that their work is not limited just to fests and they play a vital role in supporting events throughout the year.

Aditya said that they work in tandem with the Department of Sounds and the Department of Stage Controls. He explained that during Oasis, they assist in events that are held in the auditorium, including the Inauguration, N2O, and different kernel events such as Tarang, Choreo, Stage Play, and more. Aditya revealed that their work would begin a few days prior to the Inauguration, involving rehearsals and run-throughs for both the Inauguration and other performances. However, he emphasized that most of their work would happen during the fest. He stated that Oasis was the most demanding fest for the department, largely because they had to coordinate with outstation participants and handle their “erratic” requests.

With only four members in the department, Aditya highlighted that one of the main issues they faced was the lack of workforce. He explained that this was due to their selective approach while recruiting juniors. However, he stated that he was not worried about the small workforce and expressed confidence in their ability to manage the work effectively. Another challenge they encountered was that clubs and departments were not aware of the proper requisitioning process for lights.

While discussing his experience as a coordinator, Aditya mentioned that it did not significantly differ from his previous experience in the department. He explained that due to the limited number of members in their department, the position of the coordinator primarily served as a figurehead, with the work being equally divided amongst the members. He added that as a minor department, they were content with staying out of the public eye. ’We’re not looking to be under the spotlight because it’s our job to provide that for others.’ he stated.

Aditya emphasized that the core of a fest is recognising the hard work that students put in and urged BITSians to attend all the events. He shared, ‘The auditorium is where everything in BITS began, it was where every event that was noteworthy took place. In the same way that Mumbai is the heart of cricket, the auditorium is the heart of every fest.’