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.

Pocketing the Queen

The Carrom team captain Kranti Kiran sounded a confident note on his team's practice ahead of BOSM 2008. The 14 member team (3 teams of 4 each with 2 - standby) comprising many 4^th and 5^th year students is all geared up to take the centre stage in the five events that will be held for the game of carrom. "The support from the institute has been overwhelming" the captain told the BEP team. "We have been provided with the new tables that were very much needed by us, and this has improved our game considerably", he added.

Though the captain was a little disappointed with the low participation of the first year students he told us that the turnout for selections this time was beyond expectations, especially with a lot of second year students taking turning up for practices regularly. The team had started their practice sessions early, and is very well prepared to take the top honours. The captain hopes that people turn up for the events to cheer for their team.

Powerlifting

Continuting with our round of captains' interviews, BEP met up with Siddhartha Sankar Sahu, the powerlifting and bodybuilding captain who appeared upbeat about the team’s prospects during this BOSM. He gave us a brief insight into the team which consists of 14 members including 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th yearites. The captain complained that the event did not attract much attention from the BITSians even after the stupendous show last year where their medals tally was second only to that of the swimming team. The powerlifting team won 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze last year fending off tough competition from SASTRA, DU and perennial rivals MNIT, Jaipur. This BOSM holds a special place for the team as this is the first time that weights conforming to international standards will be used in BOSM. The regular two-day event is being scaled up to a full-fledged 3 day event. The team boasts of its edge over other competitors in deadlift and bench-press. The success in MNIT Sports Meet does speak volumes about their proficiency.

The captain hinted that the unavailability of proper time slot for practise does have a negative influence in the team’s progress and interests. As suggested by the captain, the university should step in and ensure that BOSM elevates to the same level as OASIS and APOGEE.

Sports Secretary Interview

The Sports Secretary Kambadur Manoj is very satisfied with the way things are happening. He confirmed that the XXIII BITS Open Sports Meet (BOSM 2008) will see the highest ever outstation participation with an increase of around 150 participants. He also added that the department of Reception and Accommodation has been working through the nights to ensure that the participants are made comfortable in course of their stay at BITS.

Another reason to cheer about this BOSM is the increased Sponsorship ensuring improved organization of the events and better co-ordination among the various departments and clubs. This would also lead to the creation of a healthy environment which would get the best out of the players. Talking about the scheduling of events he told us that they are totally unbiased and efforts have been to avoid having a team to play two matches on one day, but in some cases it was inevitable considering the time constraint and the increased participation.

"This BOSM is going to be the best ever" says Manoj proudly. So he urges the BITSian's to stay on and turn up to cheer for their teams and to the outstation participants he assures that this would be their most memorable Sports meet ever.

Winning may be the only thing but the essential fact about sport is that you don't know what happens next. No one does. So if you have a desire to win step out and give your best and the rest will follow. After all the game isn't over till it's over.

Scorching the Baseline

While most girls’ teams are suffering from a lack of interest amongst, this year’s tennis team certainly is not to be included in the list. We talked to Shivangi, the captain of the girls’ tennis team, and caught up with her about our tennis team. Talking about this year’s turn-out, she told us excitedly how some of the best players had joined them this year. Three girls – with experience at both the state and the national levels – have been selected from the first year. The team last year had not fared too well, considering there had been only two players, but this year Shivangi is certain that being one of the best teams BITS has ever had, they are sure to win several medals. She told us that the facilities provided to the team, however, are certainly run-down and not up to the mark. The courts and nets desperately need to be improved upon and the most astonishing face was the absence of a coach for the girls’ team. However, despite these drawbacks, it was heartening to see the bright smile and confidence with which Shivangi assured us that this year we would certainly win. She said that she would like everybody to turn up, cheer, and participate in all the open events conducted during BOSM. We do hope her team lives up to all the expectations and sets an example for all the other teams too!

Boys at the Table

With the sports mania on campus increasing as BOSM draws closer, EPC caught up with the captain of the table tennis team, Abhijit Kamath, to discuss the level of preparedness and expectations of the team this BOSM. A large number of students turned up for the tryouts this year of which four made the cut, taking the total number of players in the team up to nine. The team already has two national level players, making it a major contender. Talking about the facilities in SAC, Abhijit was satisfied with the tables and racquets; although he said that the flooring is not up to scratch and exhaust fans in the TT room are still awaited. Last year our team won the silver medal as they went down fighting to Hansraj College. Even though the team is expecting a tough fight from Hansraj and SRCC this time too, Abhijit confidently asserted that they had their sights trained on nothing less than gold. He believes that as long as every player gives it his best shot, there should be no room for disappointment. Truly, we hope that this admirable confidence reflects in all the matches they play and wish them all the very best!

The "Baddie" Boys

The BITS Men’s badminton team have performed well in recent years and team captain Amit Deshpande thinks the team has a good chance of bettering their third place finish last year. A large number of students turned up for trials but only two vacancies meant only the best made the cut. There are two teams- an A team and a B team, classified on the level of play, each comprising five players. The new recruits have shown promise so far and are learning the nuances of the game from their seniors. The team has two practice sessions daily of two hours each. The focus in recent weeks has been mainly on match play and fitness. After their gold medal winning performance last year at MNNIT, there are a lot of expectations from this team and Amit assures us that they won’t dissapoint. Amit hopes BITSians will keep up the support they have shown in recent years and leave no stone unturned in bringing home the trophy.

Pinging through the Pong

BEP met up with Kriti Jain, the captain of the girls’ table tennis team, and talked to her about the team and its level of preparedness for BOSM 2008. Talking about the dwindling participation of girls due to their lackadaisical attitude towards sports, we were shocked to note that only three girls had turned up for the tryouts this time. Of them only a single first yearite had been selected to play in the team which takes the total number of members in the team to three. Disappointing as this is it also rules out the possibility of our team playing in any doubles event, something extremely unfortunate. While talking about the facilities provided, Kriti was satisfied with the coach and the tables provided at SAC although she admitted that racquets for the players were still awaited. We talked about the teams that are coming over and the toughest competition that we face. Last year our girls’ team won a silver medal in the event and Kriti confidently asserted that this year they would be aiming for nothing less than the gold. Her message to all BITSians was to turn up, watch the event and support them. Truly, we wish her and the team all the very best and are sure that they will certainly add to the medals tally!

Basking in the Glory

Basketball has always been one of the most popular sports in BITS with huge spectatorship. This year’s men’s ‘BASKEE’ team are looking good to finish well in BOSM, reckons skipper Anuj Loomba. Basketball has been a traditional crowd-puller in BITS and BITSians are known to get behind their team in victory and defeat. Coach Honey has been inspirational so far and the team is playing well as a unit. Anuj credits the coach for the high degree of preparedness of the team and the confidence of the team members. The team undergoes a strict daily practice routine involving an hour of drills/workouts and match practice where the team is divided into groups that play against one another. The rigorous regimen has resulted in the players feeling match-fit and raring to go. The team has performed well in training and we can expect a better finish than last year, feels Anuj. So as they do their bit we BITSians much keep up the support and and play our role in boosting their morale. Anuj hopes the team play the level they are capable of and bring home the gold this BOSM.

Smoking Aces

As a series of interviews of captains, we met up with Anshul, the tennis captain of the BITS BOSM team. This is a event with two singles player and one doubles. Only one of the singles player is also allowed to participate in doubles. This event has had participation from well-renowned colleges across India, including Sports colleges. In spite of that,the tennis team has been a consistent good performer in the meet, winning last year's silver medal. On being quizzed on how they expected to perform in this year's meet, Anshul said that, all of the six participating teams are at the same level. He also added that they hoped to clinch the gold this year. When asked about the participation of freshers in the BOSM Team, he said that the turnout of freshers at the try-outs were like any other year. But he also commented that the quality of freshers was not very good, and none of them made it to the final BOSM team.

Anshul also hoped that the turnouts of the BITS populace will be better than it was last year, when except for one match the turnout was abysmally low. He requested all BITS-ians to turn up in large numbers to cheer his team in BOSM.

Football talk

In tune with the sports frenzy building up on the campus, BEP met up with the football team captain Bhargav Rani. He sounded optimistic and confident about the team’s form. He said that the team’s performance had been pretty good last year, though they couldn't make it to the finals they were in the third place. Since the team has improved since then and is in its best shape right now, he feels that they have a fair chance of getting the top position this BOSM.

Talking about the first yearites participation he said he was quite disappointed since they have only one first yearite in the team. He hopes this situation will improve later and that they would be able to get good quality players from first year too. The maximum participation is from second yearites. He credited the football leagues for the drastic improvement in the second yearites’ game. The football league was a huge success last year with around 250 people participating. Rani said that the football league had also boosted football’s popularity in BITS. Considering all these benefits of the league, he plans to make the Football League a tradition in BITS

He is happy with the practice sessions and the team’s dedication to the game. The team practices 5:30pm to 7:30pm every day of the week. There is a football coach too to help them improve their game. Rani however regrets the state of infrastructure available. Uneven ground and water logging are major problems hindering their practice. The team’s practice was also hampered by the workers’ strike as they could not play full-length matches due to overgrown grass & weeds in the ground. However, he is quite satisfied with the way they have used available resources for the game.

During the course of the conversation he informed that 15 out-station teams were coming for BOSM this year and that this is the largest participation in the past few years. So there will be lots of action for everyone to watch on the football ground. Matches will start from 7:00am itself with more than 5-6 matches a days. A team may have to play two matches a day but this he says is inevitable considering the participation. He hopes all the Bitsians will turn up and cheer the BITS team.Let us hope to see filled up stands and some great football!!

Domino's coming to BITS for BOSM

Yes it is true! BEP finally received a confirmation from Sports Secretary Manoj Kambadur that Domino's is indeed setting up a stall in BITS for the duration of BOSM. This deal is expected to not only provide some quality food during BOSM but also bring in some revenues to run the fest. It has been a constant complaint over the last few years that there aren't quality eating outlets in Gym grounds during BOSM. This deal with Domino's might also mean the end of such complaints.

Meanwhile staying on the food front, the All Night Canteen or ANC as it is popularly called is also gearing up for BOSM sales. ANC is located right next to the Gym grounds and thus will see considerable rise in sales during BOSM. This year the menu has been expanded and the manager of ANC further confirmed that change in ambiance is also on the cards. So for our returning outstation visitors who are here to lay claim to the medals or defend a title, this BOSM will definitely be a better experience.

So come September 10th, get ready to grab your slice of action and pizza!

3 days to go!

With 3 days to go before the start of BOSM, preparations are underway to ensure that this edition of BOSM is better than ever before. BITS is gearing uo to receive participants from all over the country who will fight it out for top honors here at Pilani. As is the tradition in BITS, all the fests are student run. The student groups (called clubs and departments) who are responsible for various components of the fest are working overtime to ensure a smooth BOSM. This BOSM will see the highest ever outstation participation in the history of the sports fest in BITS. No wonder the Department of Reception and Accomodation seems to be working overtime to welcome the players.

Here are some updates: The opening ceremony is scheduled for the evening of 10th September, 2008 at the Gym Grounds in BITS. Unlike previous years, the opening ceremony is on day 0 of the fest and not day 1. This means more time to play and see some great action!

Reports coming in from sources suggest that the Cyber Gaming event is happening for the first time this year and clans from outside are going to flock to Pilani to virtually fight it out. We will update you with details soon.

Of course that is not the only first this BOSM - we at BOSM English Press (BEP) are going to live blog during the fest to keep you updated about the results! So catch all the action here at the BEP blog. Coming soon on the blog are the interviews of people who are in the middle of the action - the captains and the heads of various departments/clubs.

And we will soon answer the question: is it true that Domino's is coming to BITS, Pilani for BOSM? Keep reading the BOSM English Press (BEP) blog for this and more updates.