DOPY - Clicking Enthu

The department of photography has Nandan Reddy heading them this time. They have a dedicated 70 member work-force. Commenting on the first yearites involvement he said they have a very enthusiastic set of 20 first yearites.

DOPY is the biggest revenue generator for BOSM. It generated a revenue of Rs 1.31 lakhs for BOSM 2K7. It’s expected target this year is Rs 1.40 lakhs. This is generated through snaps and other allied merchandise. He said he is happy with the pre-BOSM Bhavans’ clicking sessions. 30 rolls have been clicked pre-BOSM.

DOPY has a booth in old TT room in gym ground. 3 DSLRs will be used for clicking photos for the first time. DOPY also plans to check yhe feasibility of live clicking starting with the inaugration today.

So, DOPY is all set to help preserve memories and put a smile on every face.... Say cheese!!!!

LIVE - Inaugural Match : The Entire Commentary

2005 hrs

And the match is over...BITS Pilani has won 18-8. Brilliant performance by the BITS Baski boys.

Stands are now gradually emptying. The Chief Guest too has just left, while the basketball court has been hijacked by random people who were inspired by the match and now want to play.

Meanwhile, great news for all of you who are in Pilani tomorrow. We just received confirmation from Mr G.K.Pillai, the Chairman cum Managing Director of Heavy Engineering Corporation, BITS alumnus of 1968 batch. He is on his way to Pilani and will be participating in the Panel Discussion tomorrow at 5 pm on Basketball court. The topic is "Revitalizing Sports in India - Campus Involvement and Policy Changes".

More on the panel discussion a little later.

Meanwhile, as the lights dim upon the basketball court, the centre of attention now is the Domino's stall. So, we will have a small break in the BEP updates. Keep reading.

P.S. For those who are wondering, it's 120 bucks a pizza.

P.P.S. Request from BITS Powerlifting team: "It's going to be one of the most impressive events this BOSM. It is at 6.30 pm tomorrow (11th September) at SAC Amphitheatre."

A First Yearite: "I have no clue what to do next. I am zonked and confused."

1952 hrs

Finally the first points of the second quarter. BITS Pilani leading 12-6.


1950 hrs

No points scored in the second half yet. The teams seem strangely afraid of attacking each other.


1949 hrs
DOPY seems to be half asleep, though it hasn't stopped one of them from coming and asking us for our snaps. And we, always glad to look like proper journalists, are only so happy to oblige.

Meanwhile, the second half has started.


1946 hrs
BITS finally manages to halt the 6-0 scoring run of Indraprastha. The match is still a bit jittery at the moment. And there the whistle and the team make their way to the sidelines at the end of the first half

Current score: BITS Pilani leading 10-6.

Meanwhile, the guys from IPS Academy, Indore, who arrived just an hour ago and are at BITS for the first time, say, "The fest has been glamorized very well. And it's like a open national tournament."


1942 hrs

Where is DOPY? Their usual cheer isn't cheerful enough. Seems like the lack of competition has put them off. The BITS team though is doing slightly better...in fact much better. As I type this, Indraprastha seems to be fighting back. Commentator's jinx maybe??

Score: BITS leading 8-6.


1940 hrs

And the whistle has gone, and the match has started. There seems to be quite some confusion regarding the jerseys won by both teams. Both are in red vests and black shorts. Though the BITS team has quite a bit of black on their vests. The audience already seems to be into the game. And as BITS begins the scoring with two points, a huge cheer goes up from the crowd. Both teams seem to have started well defensively. Lots of rebounds and steals going through. But it seems that the BITS team is starting to turn it on offensively as they establish an early lead.

Current score: 8-2 BITS Pilani is leading.

1935 hrs

The teams are now greeting the Vice-Chancellor of BITS Prof L.K. Maheshwari. Surely, words of encouragement being said there.


1932 hrs

The great cheerleading rivalry between DOPY and Maharashtra Mandal (MAMA) hasn't come to the fore yet, although there are many DOPY members visible, doing their usual bit - taking snaps and generally getting in the way of people. MAMA seems to have given up on their claim though, the members don't seem visible as a group.

And with that the whistle has gone. The warm-up time is over. As the teams go into a huddle, the audience waits with bated breath for the action to start.

1927 hrs

BOSM is kicking off with an inaugural friendly Basketball match BITS Pilani boys and Indraprastha College, Delhi. Like every year, with basketball usually being the most watched sport, the stands are full. As the teams run on to the court and start warming up, they are greeted by huge cheers from the stands - people who just can't wait for the action to start.

EVENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR !!! (Third Base Issue One)

SLAM DUNK
This BOSM, everyone can play! ...
Slam Dunk- a super selector like game for Basketball is being organized by CEL (www.cel-bits.org). Choose your dream team of five, gain points when your players play well. You can change your team after every match. Prizes worth Rs.8000 are at stake. Play smart and win big. To play, visit www.bosm.cel-bits.org.

PANEL DISCUSSION : 11th September, 5 pm, Basketball Court
This BOSM, BEP is holding a panel discussion on ‘Revitalizing Sports in India- policy changes and campus involvement’. The idea is to have constructive discussion on what can be done with regard to sports administration in our country. A first time ever in BOSM, this panel discussion will be moderated by Ramya (former EPC Secretary) and will see some eminent personalities on the panel. The guest panellist is Mr. G.K.Pillai, the Chairman cum Managing Director of Heavy Engineering Corporation based in Ranchi. Mr. Pillai is an alumnus of distinction with a keen interest in sports and has played hockey at the national level. Joining him on the panel will be Dr. Raghurama, Deputy Director (Academic) and Dr. B R Natrajan, Dean, DLPD, BITS, Pilani. The student panellist is Abhijeeth Kamath, the Table Tennis Captain of BITS Pilani team and is also a former state level player for Maharashtra. This discussion will help in creating a positive environment of hope around the fest.

ANTI-CHESS, TUG-OF-WAR & MONKEY KICKOFF : 11th September, 4.30 onwards, Gym-G
The Department of Informalz presents three events—Anti-Chess, Tug-of-War and Monkey Kickoff on Day 1 of BOSM. Monkey Kickoff is based on the flash game which was the rage on campus all through last semester. Anti-Chess is the game of anti-games where you have to “lose to win”. Meanwhile, Tug-of-War is just that—the age old brawny exercise involving grown Homo sapiens tugging at a rope.

The Gaming Geeks - A Sneak Peek at Ignition (Third Base Issue One)

A fact that very few people know about BOSM is that its largest event does not involve any muscle movement exceeding 30 cm. For the sake of those who are as slow as the one who wrote this report, we’re talking about Ignition - The LAN gaming challenge. With a sponsorship of 1.2 lakhs and over 50 out of the total 200+ participants being outstation clans, Ignition is all set to provide gamers with the adrenaline rush that they’ve always looked forward to.

The SAC main hall has been booked for the purpose, with gaming going on both during the day and night. Ignition has both clan games as well as individual games. Counter Strike, Age of Empires II, DOTA, Need for Speed and FIFA 08 are the competitive events that will take place throughout BOSM. In addition, 12 systems have been supplied by CRISIS whose usage will be without any charge, allowing interested individuals a chance to experience this new game on high specification systems.

BEP caught up with Parijat, a member of the organizing team, to find out a few more details of the event. Counter Strike is by far the most popular (No surprises there!) followed by DOTA and AOE in the clan category. And FIFA scores over NFS in the individual category. (Unfortunately, Unreal Tournament does not have enough takers to be held as an event here. Hopefully, this trend will soon change.) There was a definite word of appreciation towards the BITS management for allowing the event to happen (giving the kind of opposition that Gaming usually faces from most college managements) The total prize amount is 40,000 to 45,000 in both cash and kind, and there will be big screens put up for spectators to see the action from a first persons view.

Ignition was originally conceived as a means to popularise BOSM by attracting a more varied crowd. Though the event was planned out last year, it had to be cancelled due to the hardware suppliers backing out at the last moment. So it’s up in full vigour this time. Hopefully there will be some real “action” at SAC in the next three days...

Third Base Issue One Editorial

It is that time of the year again. Time when all attention is on Gym grounds for a change. When SAC is not just about departments putting enthu. This is the 23rd edition of the BITS Open Sports Meet (BOSM) and by the look of things, the fest seems to be going stronger than ever before. This BOSM is unique in the sense that it is a blend of things from past that we can’t leave behind and things of today that we can’t ignore to include. It is hard to keep anything isolated from the rest of the world. More so when you are talking about a vibrant student fest with close to 900 participants from all over India in addition to the hosts in Pilani. For the first time, cyber gaming will find a place in the sports festival. Sports as an entertainment package – that is the trend all over. The number of ‘auxiliary’ events this BOSM promises to make the fest a complete entertainment package – from panel discussion to a super selector like game.

Still at the heart of the fest will be the effort of sportspersons and the spirit of gamesmanship. Loads of reasons to cheer about this BOSM – maximum participation, highest sponsorship, diverse events and the Olympic cheer. Let us enjoy all this while they last over the next four to five days. At the Third Base, we will bring you the closest possible view without actually being in the picture itself. In some ways a justification for the name. This issue of the Third Base is all about the pre-fest preparation, the hard work of people who are not playing themselves but setting up the stage for others to compete.

In Total Control (Third Base Issue One)

BOSM is about to get underway and preparations for the same are in full swing. BOSM Controlz are naturally in the thick of things, what with all the registration, scheduling and organizing to be done. Department CoSSAcn Reeturaj Mishra said they keen to see to it that this BOSM turns out to be bigger and better than the last. A major worry in recent years has been the low attendance of BITSian spectators in the sporting events. To attract and retain their attention, some fun events are being planned by Department of Informalz and Jhankaar. Another new feature is Ignition 2k8, a gaming event that is bound to find many takers, considering the popularity of LAN games in the institute. In addition, BOSM Controlz plans to set up tents for spectators so they can watch the action comfortably. They also plan to upload results of completed matches at least twice a day and post updates and schedules in the messes on a daily basis. This year’s 23rd edition of BOSM will witness an unprecedented boom in the number of participants – up to 950 from 750 last year. Lastly, but importantly, Reeturaj hopes for a good response from the BITSian junta and much better attendance than last year’s disappointing figures.

Money Matters (Third Base Issue One)

Chintan Raghuvanshi, the BOSM SPONZ CoSSAcan, is very enthusiastic about our annual Sports Fest this year. And with good reason too. Thanks to the untiring efforts of his 45 man crew, BOSM has been able to accrue over Rs. 2 lakhs this year. Principal sponsors this year include Saras, UCO Bank, Indian Oil, Nestle and Domino's. Domino's is planning to setup a stall, and the Hindustan Times has agreed to be the media partner. When asked about his work for BOSM, Chintan who is called Chintu by friends and foes alike, replies candidly 'The work does get hard occasionally, but it is rewarding when BOSM is carried out succesfully.' The work has entailed quite a few trips to Delhi and Jaipur, and was partly interrupted by the ongoing strikes there. But despite all the hassles, Chintan and his team have managed to gather a very significant amount for BOSM this year. Here's hoping all their hard work pays off on the field and off it this BOSM.

'Accio' Outstis (Third Base Issue One)

“When it comes to BOSM, it is most important and rather challenging to ensure a balance between adequate participation and quality”, says PCR front man Kamal Ganeriwal. He gave us a glimpse into this year’s participation for the BITSIAN sports meet.

There are 900 participants, 730 boys and 170 girls, from 50 odd colleges as opposed to last year’s 800. This increase has been made possible by the SWD by rendering the upper common rooms of the boys’ Bhavans available for outstation accommodation. Amongst sports football has recorded the maximum no of teams (15) whereas hockey has recorded the least (2).Besides that we will have participation from 4 NITs, namely Allahabad, Patna, Surat and Jaipur. Certain other DU colleges have enlisted huge participation as well.

So this BOSM we can expect some quality sports action from the increased participation and hopefully many more BITSIAN medals.

Inaug Live !!!

1926 hrs

We are at the scene at Gym-G at the Basketball court. The inaug is just over. The Sports Secretary has just had his say. And now it is time for all the athletes and competitors to take the oath of honesty and allegiance to the sporting spirit.

1905 hrs

BOSM Inaug has just got underway, with the Chief Guest Prof L.K.Maheshwari, Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani having just arrived. More to follow soon...

BOSM 2008 is about to start!

Gym Grounds in BITS, Pilani is full of people waiting eagerly for the inauguration ceremony of BOSM 2008. The news is that it is about to start in 10 minutes from now. The turnout is huge for the inaug and thankfully weather Gods are playing along!

So, if you are in Pilani and still not in Gym Grounds, there is 10 more minutes time for BOSM to kick off! And if you are not in Pilani, catch all the action @ the BEP blog. Keep reading!

Mind Games

Of Rooks, Pawns and Knights

Tense, drawn-out battles of the mind and the wit...With some of the sharpest minds doing battle...That is chess for you. Although Rohan Karwa, captain of the BITS Chess team, insists that it is as much fun to watch chess as any other spectator sport.

In this year's BOSM chess competition, BITS has three teams participating in botht he Classic and Rapid Chess tournaments. 5 players each of BITS A and B teams will participate in both the events while from the BITS C team, 5 players will participate in Classic Chess while the remaining 5 will participate in the Rapid Chess tournament.

Following on from their silver medal performance last year in the Rapid Chess version, Rohan is very optimistic about his team's performance this time. With the usual stalwarts from teams like SSN and Shaastra absent during BOSM this time, he says that the unknown factor in the competition would make it quite interesting.

Rohan is also very happy with the interest shown by BITSians in the game. Around 80 people had turned up for the tryouts, out of which 20 were finally selected. At last, he signs off by urging the BITSian population to not just crowd the basketball courts at all times, but to visit at least the finals of all sporting events. They are worth it!

Note: The chess tournaments will be held in SAC all through BOSM. The finals will be held on the 14th of September while a problem solving event involving teams of three will be held on the afternoon of the 14th.

SLAM DUNK !!!!

This BOSM, everyone can play! ...

Slam Dunk- a super selector like game for Basketball is being organized by CEL (www.cel-bits.org). Choose your dream team of five, gain points when your players play well. You can change your team after every match. Prizes worth Rs.8000 are at stake. Play smart and win big. To play, visit www.bosm.cel-bits.org.

The Mermaids

With BOSM around the corner English Press Club talked to the swimming team captain Mahima Garg about her expectations and apprehensions for the coming event.

The team comprising of seven girls including one first year student has been practicing since 10th of August, with the constant help from the coaches.

The captain does not have any apprehensions about competing with any of the teams coming for this BOSM. With all the good efforts the team has given in, all it expects is good competition,a challenging BOSM.

Fly on the Wall : Adventure Sports @ BOSM 2k8

Isn't this just the day for great things happening? Sources tell us that BOSM Sponz has a proverbial ace in its sleeve, which is organizing Adventure Sports at BITS this BOSM. Wonder what they will be and where it will be held...

Keep visiting this blog for fresh updates on this and much more.

Inaug : The Fest Kickoff

Sources have just confirmed that the BOSM 2008 inauguration function is going to be held in the evening today at 6 pm. The venue for the inaug is Gym-G. More to follow later...

It's A Six !!!

Anant Padmanabhan, the captain of BITS cricket-team, spared a few minutes from his time and let us interview him, during which he shed some light on the present conditions of the “great” game in BITS. It’ll come as a surprise to most, but the players of our cricket team, in addition to playing in the BOSM matches, have the more important and difficult job of conducting the whole tournament. Be it organizing the matches, deciding the schedule of matches, or the meagre task of taking care of refreshments for participants, it’s done by the cricket squad only, which currently consists of around 26 people.

The captain told us that they had the good fortune of getting some very promising players in the team this time. Even the turnout for the cricket trials was pretty decent, the count finally reaching to 80. Out of these, some 10 people were taken after rigorous practice eliminations. The team is really very enthusiastic about BOSM this year and they hope of winning the gold that they unfortunately missed last time. The performance of the team has been quite remarkable in the last few years though; and they do hope to improve their skills further.

This year, a total of 12 teams (including BITS) are expected for the competition which will be played during BOSM. The tournament would be played according to the proper 20-20 format, and they will be organizing 3 matches per day for the whole period. Considering that cricket is such a sought after sport, Anant also mentioned a few improvements which would be made in terms of facilities for the audience.

All the team needs now is a little luck, and a lot of hard work and confidence to achieve what they are hoping for…

Chak De BITS!

With BOSM knocking at our doors, practices and preparations for every game are now at fever pitch. However, the Boys Hockey captain, Aditya, expressed his belief that some games do get left out in this rush at times. As regards hockey, certain things do seem to be wanting. Firstly, there are only 2 outsti teams participating this year, from GCA and SRCC. According to Aditya, the team faced several problems before and during practice. Hockey not being a major game in BITS, applicants for the team were limited. The team was denied access to the hockey field for about 15 days to make space for practices of other games. Also, all their new equipment came in a mere 1 day before the start of BOSM, giving them hardly any time to familiarize themselves. However, the captain believes that, despite initial glitches, he and his team have worked hard enough to give a good show. We can only hope that this will indeed be the case, and that the BITS team will deliver well on D-day.

BASKETBALL GIRLS

After leading her team to a gold medal triumph in MNIT Jaipur, Aditi Asthana, Girls’ Basketball Captain will look to replicate that performance in a much tougher field at BOSM, one that includes colleges from Delhi that have never been here before. In spite of declining to venture a prediction of her team’s medal chances (“I don’t want to get jinxed.” She replied sheepishly) Aditi seemed confident of improving on last year’s third-place finish. Bolstered by the presence of three first year students (including a national level player) and the early arrival of a highly attentive coach (“the best coach we’ve had yet.”), the team has stayed positive throughout their practice sessions that have lasted over a month now. On being asked to comment on the effect of a declining female population on girls’ sports teams, Aditi offered an optimistic opinion. She believes that while the numbers might have fallen, the interest levels and sporting capabilities of the girls from the current batches have definitely improved, as evinced by the positive response that her team received for their selection trials. She conceded that playing dual roles (team captain and Joint Sports Secretary) has worked to her advantage. In addition to being able to choose convenient fixtures, she has acquired an understanding of what it feels like to be on the organizational side of things, which, she admitted, isn’t an easy side to be on. Overall, Aditi would look forward to rounding off what looks like a bigger more eventful BOSM with a basketful of glory.