Oasis

The tradition & historical record

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. Oasis staged professional shows including semi-professional music competitions such as Rocktaves and student-led organizations. ¹

Oasis was formed in 1971 as an intra-college event, eventually expanding into a festival. Past themes included: ¹

2011 – The Road Trip 2012 – The Reinvention 2013 – The Elements 2014 – The '90s Show 2015 – Around the World in 96 Hours 2016 – Of Gods and Men 2017 – Realms of Fiction 2018 – The Far Our Fest 2019 – Neon Noir 2020 – Alchemist's Prophecy 2022 – Demesne of the Lost Gold (50th edition celebration) 2023 – Grimoire Galore 2024 – Regal Roulette 2025 – Whispers of Edo ¹

Oasis has hosted over 50 events across various artistic and intellectual domains featuring participation from 350+ colleges across India. ¹

Rocktaves was a collegiate rock competition. Preliminary rounds were 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 a cappella, solo vocals, instrumental, percussion, and guitar events.