The student clubs of UM-DAE Center for Excellence in Basic Sciences organised the institute’s cultural fest Samavaya from 8th - 11th April 2023. The first two days were reserved for off-stage events and they were held in the Takshashila mess hall and the prefabs. The on-stage events were organised in the Green Technology Auditorium. The latter commenced with an inaugural ceremony, which was graced by the esteemed presence of Prof. R. K. Vatsa, Director CEBS, Prof. J. P. Mittal, Chairman, Academic Board, Prof. Swapan Ghosh, Dean of Academic Affairs, Shri. Bhupesh K. Gangrade, Registrar CEBS, Dr. Mahendra Patil, Faculty Coordinator of Student Affairs, other professors and staff. The fest witnessed high participation from the students and proved to be a successful event.

Kalakriti, the Art Club of CEBS organised the art fest Oris on 8th and 9th April in the Takshashila mess hall. Through a series of workshops and other events, it offered the participants, both students and staff, the opportunity to take part in diverse artistic ventures. The fest commenced with the pottery workshop led by Ms. Famida Raeen from the Indian Education Society (IES) Institute for Skill Development. It provided the participants with valuable insights into pottery techniques through interactive demonstrations and offered a hands-on experience of the art. A variety of art supplies were made available for all to engage in activities such as drawing, painting and quilling. On the next day, there were workshops on fluid-art, tie-dye and photography conducted by students. Oris concluded with the origami workshop conducted by Prof. R. Nagarajan, who shared his expertise on origami techniques with the students. Overall, the events offered the participants a platform to showcase their talents as well as learn new skills.

The E-Game club hosted Crossfire 2023 on 9th April in the prefabs. The event offered a wide range of video games to engage the newest players to the most experienced ones. It included several popular titles, such as Hogwarts Legacy, Cyberpunk, Subnautica, Elden Ring, Tetris and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The highlight of the event was the Brawlhalla tournament. The event concluded with the crowning of the tournament champion.

Film-Making Club: As part of Samavaya, the newly-formed Film-Making Club of CEBS produced a short-film Lost. With the talented hands of students at direction, production and acting, it was a grand success. The premiere of the movie was on 9th April in the Prof. S. M. Chitre Hall (AG-14) in the prefabs. The film revolves around a girl who becomes engrossed in preparing for a competitive exam and struggles to maintain her relationship with family and friends, a theme which can be related to all students alike. It was screened again on stage in the Green Technology Auditorium on 10th April for the faculty and staff. On the same day, the club also presented their first short-film Akin which had competed in the Inter IISERs Cultural Meet (IICM) 2022. It explored how individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds handled a disease, blending entertainment with a profound message.

The literature club hosted four main events – a quiz competition, a debate competition, Crime Scene Investigation and a Book Corner. The quiz competition was a wonderful showcase of trivia knowledge and the debate competition brought out talented speakers in the college community. The preliminary rounds of the competitions happened on 8th and 9th April 2023 in the prefabs, while the finale was an on-stage event in the Green Technology Auditorium on the third day. The Book Corner provided a serene space for bookworms and literature enthusiasts. It consisted of over 250 books spanning various genres collected from the students and was kept for display for all to browse through. The Crime Scene Investigation was undoubtedly the most intriguing of all the events. A fictional crime plot was developed by the club members and clues were hidden around the campus for the participants to find and solve in three days. The winners of the competitions were felicitated and awarded prizes on stage. Apart from these, other smaller fun events like crossword and jigsaw were also conducted by the literature club to engage all.

Theatre Club: Samavaya gave the newly formed Theatre Club a wonderful opportunity to unveil its inaugural performance on campus on 10th April, 2023 in the Green Technology Auditorium. Gathering confidence from the prize-winning performance in the IICM 2022, the team came forward with a very entertaining play based on a story written by famous satirist Harishankar Parsai. Titled ‘Ek Ladki Char Deewane’, the script was well chosen with elements of romance, comedy and drama. With excellent costume design, stage setting and theatrical skills, the club proved its worth once again. The play was one of the favourite performances of the fest.

Pravaah, the newly-formed Dance Club of CEBS, presented a number of dance performances on the third day of Samavaya in the Green Technology Auditorium. Performers included students from all the batches. The capturing music combined with the energetic moves ranging from the classical Bharatanatyam to the Western hip-hop and freestyles - both solo and group - made the event absolutely phenomenal. A highlight of the day was the group dance that won CEBS the second place in the IICM 2022: carrying the theme “conquering one’s fears”, the dancers elegantly executed an excellently choreographed performance. The final performance of the day was the group dance by the final-year students: composed of many acts adorned with vibrant moves, smooth transitions and delightful surprises, it thoroughly entertained the audience, while creating one more lasting memory for the students. On the next day, April 11th 2023, the graceful Odissi duet performance set the stage for the much-awaited music fest, Dhwani.

Dhwani, the annual musical event of CEBS, was organised by the Music Club on 11th April 2023 the last day of Samavaya, in the Green Technology Auditorium. It presented a wide array of musical performances that encompassed various genres, including classical, rock, folk, contemporary and fusion. The event brought together students from different academic years and departments, who collaborated to present solo, ensemble and band performances. The performers included vocalists, instrumentalists, and even experimental collaborations. The event featured captivating performances by the esteemed faculty members as well: Dr. Sudhir Jain with his wife Smt. Alka Jain and team delivered a beautiful classical performance; Dr. Subhojit Sen joining the spectacular show by the student band Sehr was the cherry on top of the cake. The fest also introduced the new band Phonons. In addition to the musical performances, Dhwani also embraced the power of words through poetry recitals. To add further excitement to the event, Dhwani featured a mesmerising classical musical evening by Shri Yadnesh Raikar and team. A celebrated classical violinist renowned for his unmatched talent, Shri Raikar captivated the audience with a stunning fusion of Hindustani and Carnatic music.