Oasis (festival)
Annual cultural festival of BITS Pilani
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Oasis is an annual cultural festival of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani). The festival features competitions and performances across a range of artistic disciplines, including music, dance, drama, fashion, comedy, and other genres of performing and visual arts.[1]
| Oasis | |
|---|---|
 Oasis logo | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Cultural festival |
| Frequency | Annual (53 editions) |
| Venue | BITS Pilani, Pilani campus |
| Locations | Pilani, Rajasthan, India |
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Attendance | over 8-10,000 attendees from 350+ colleges |
| Organised by | Students' Council for Cultural Activities (StuCCA), BITS Pilani |
| Website | bits-oasis.org |
The festival has different themes every year. Some recent examples are the 50th edition, themed "Demesne of the Lost Gold", the 51st edition, held in 2023, using the theme "Grimoire Galore", based on the aesthetic of fantasy books, the 52nd edition, titled "Regal Roulette", inspired by the aesthetic of casinos, and the 53rd edition, with a "Whispers of Edo" theme.[2][3]
Oasis had staged professional shows, including semi-professional music competitions such as Rocktaves, and student-led organizations.[4]
History
Oasis began in 1971[3] as an intra-college event, eventually growing into a festival.
Past themes had included:
- 2011 – The Road Trip[5]
- 2012 – The Reinvention[6]
- 2013 – The Elements
- 2014 – The '90s Show[7]
- 2015 – Around the World in 96 Hours[8]
- 2016 – Of Gods and Men[9]
- 2017 – Realms of Fiction[10]
- 2018 – The Far Our Fest[11]
- 2019 – Neon Noir[12]
- 2022 – Demesne of the Lost Gold (50th edition celebration)
- 2023 – Grimoire Galore[13]
- 2024 – Regal Roulette[14]
- 2025 – Whispers of Edo[3]
Events and activities
Oasis has hosted over 50 events across various artistic and intellectual domains, featuring participation from 350+ colleges across India.
Music
Rocktaves was a collegiate rock competition. Preliminary rounds are held in eight cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Pune, and Guwahati. Alumni include The Local Train, Parikrama, Indian Ocean, Anand Bhaskar Collective and Euphoria. Rap Wars was a hip-hop contest. Previous participants who have gone on to achieve popularity are Raga, Seedhe Maut, Raftaar and Arpit Bala. Pitch Perfect, Andholika, Tarang, Free Jam, Drums Duel, Axetacy were a series of acappella, solo vocals, instrumental, percussion, and guitar events.
Dance
Dance events include Choreography, Street Dance, Razzmataz, Desert Duel, and Tandav. It ranged from classical to urban contemporary.
Fashion and fine arts
FASHP (Fashion Show), Mr. & Mrs. Oasis, Femina Miss India Campus Rounds, Metamorphosis, Splash, and Exposure ranged from videography, face painting, and photography contests.
Drama and public speaking
Stage Play was a competition featuring full-length dramatic productions. Street Play had events that covered themes of social relevance and encouraged audience interaction. Mock Parliament performed with simulated political debate. Oasis Debate tested participant's oratory and argumentative skills.
N2O: The Comedy Night
N2O is the concluding event of Oasis. It has featured popular stand-up comedians such as Vir Das, Zakir Khan, Biswa Kalyan Rath, Kenny Sebastian, Kunal Kamra, and Abish Mathew.
Professional nights
Bollywood Night
The Hindi Prof Show has featured collaborations with Vishal Mishra (2024), Vishal–Shekhar (2023), Amit Trivedi (2022), Farhan Akhtar, Kailash Kher, Lucky Ali, and Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy.
EDM & Hip-Hop Night
Oasis’s EDM Night has featured DJs such as Nucleya, Seedhe Maut, KRSNA, DJ Shaan, Sevenn, Zaeden, Wolfpack, Arpit Bala, Foosie Gang, Panther, and Smoke.
Indie Night
Indie Night has featured artists such as Taba Chake, The Yellow Diary, Peter Cat Recording Co., When Chai Met Toast, The Backyard Shrooms, Parvaaz, Dualist Inquiry, The Ganesh Talkies, and Submarine in Space.
Organization
Oasis is organized by the Students' Council for Cultural Activities, including the General Secretary and the President of the Students' Union.
Major departments
- Art, Design and Publicity
- Reception and Accommodation
- Department of Control
- Publications and Correspondence
- Department of Visual Media
Minor departments
- Department of Firewallz
- Department of Live Events
- Department of Photography
- Informalz
- Lights
- Sounds
- Audi Force
- Backstage
- Department of Theatre
- Sponsorship and Marketing
Sponsorships and collaborations
Oasis receives corporate and media sponsorship from:
- Companies: OnePlus, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Airtel, Red Bull, BYJU'S, Infosys, Cognizant, Lenovo, Cisco, Myntra
- Media: NDTV Good Times, Channel V, ABP Live, Amar Ujala, 91.1 FM Radio City, Blogadda.com, Youth Incorporated, The Indian Music Diaries