7:30, SAC amphitheatre: The cold, blustery weather did not dampen the spirits as coordinators of various clubs and departments, along with the StuCCA, engaged in a serious deliberation regarding finances for Oasis ‘17. After the gathering dispersed, President of the Student Union, Bharatharatna Puli, began the interview with the English Press Club.

Puli is quick to concede that it hasn’t been a smooth riding so far. Odd timings of Diwali and mid-semester examinations have pushed the fest to first week of November. He believes that said timing is ideal for the fest. However, the pace of work seems to have slackened with major decisions being pushed to the final week. For example, the issue of accommodation still remains unresolved. Currently, StuCCA has acquired permission to use the staff quarters, which are dilapidated and in dire need of repairs. Several ideas have been pitched in, including a proposal to erect tents based on the theme for the outstation participants, but none of these solutions have been fleshed out as of now.

Regardless, Oasis ’17 stands to be the biggest Oasis seen yet, sporting an impressive line-up of events and professional shows. While Puli refused to quote the exact figure, money obtained from fest sponsors has been reported to be quite high. As a consequence, BITSians will not have to pay any entry fee for two prof shows.  The President also plans to allocate more stalls to the sponsors and commission a theme-based blimp on inauguration night. “You either risk it or play it safe”, said the President whilst commenting upon the latest additions to the fest.

As far as fest work is concerned, The President is expected to coordinate with departments, StuCCA and the institute as well as handle financial matters during a fest, including sponsorship and payments to various vendors, with the help of CRC and other bodies. Puli remarked that the work more or less remains unaltered with each passing year. However, priorities have certainly changed over the times. “We are laying more emphasis on the quality of the fest this year”, Puli affirmed.

While Puli asserted that the role of the President has been an insightful experience, he also admitted that the job has its share of burdens. Nonetheless, he assured us that he would do everything within his power to ensure that nothing would hinder attempts to improve the fest’s quality.

Brooding over a certain matter at hand which required his presence, Puli requested to conclude the interview at the earliest. As a final remark, he appealed to the BITSian junta to contribute to the fest in every way possible to make Oasis ‘17 a grander success than the ones which came before.