The BOSM English Press reached out to Mayank Kulkarni, the Sports Secretary, to talk about the functioning of the Sports Council and the work that it has been doing in the run-up to BOSM ‘19. 

Mayank explained that the Sports Secretary, along with the three Joint Sports Secretaries (JSS), make up the Sports Council (SC). The SC is responsible for nurturing the overall sports culture on campus. As a part of their year-round efforts, they conduct BOSM and i-BOSM, send teams for outstation tournaments, and organise various runs and marathons on campus. 

Talking about the work that the council does leading up to BOSM, Mayank said that one of the first tasks for them is to place inventory orders for various teams.  This is done over the summer, after consultation with the team captains. Arranging for referees to officiate matches during the fest also falls under the SC’s purview. Nine coaches, with contracts lasting for 25 days, have been brought in to train teams before BOSM. Mayank mentioned that all four members of the SC are also a part of the CoSSAc. While he is the financial head, the JSS facilitate communication between himself and the other departments that work for the fest. 

Two new sports have been introduced this BOSM: Ultimate Frisbee and Bodybuilding. A contingency plan has been worked out to ensure that if it rains—as was forecasted till a few days earlier—losses can be minimised, and the matches conducted without much delay. They have requested for additional groundsmen from the institute, and pumps to drain out water have been arranged for. For the stalls, they plan on doing a waterproof PVC cover to ensure that water does not seep in like last year. They have also been working to improve the quality of shows this year, to ensure that the non-sporting crowd has a great experience as well. 

On being asked about his experience as the Sports Secretary, Mayank said that, ‘It’s been a ride for me.’ He added that even though there is a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, and the time commitment is immense, he enjoys the work that he is doing. He feels a great sense of satisfaction when he sees all of his work and ideas come to fruition. While parting, Mayank appealed to everyone, especially the first years, to come out of their rooms and support their team. He asked them to experience all that BOSM has to offer and promised that they would have a great fest.