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Scuba diving is gaining popularity as a recreational sport in India. Fascination with water sports is influencing the growth of the scuba diving market in India. People are keen to explore the vibrant aquatic world of coral reefs, fishes, and clear blue waters. Scuba (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) diving tourism is on the rise which allows seeing exotic marine life closely. India offers a scuba diving experience that is simply varied with the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal – a marine world replete with colourful tropical fish, turtles, dolphins, and whales, etc. In the last few years, marine tourism has been growing in India leading to the setting up of marine conservation initiatives and the promotion of scuba diving. Travel agencies are offering diving with other activities making it a fun-filled holiday for adventure lovers. Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi went scuba diving in the Arabian Sea, to pray at the underwater site of the ancient city of Dwarka (accompanied by Indian Navy divers). This has ignited passion among tourists about ocean life and diving in India and will surely boost scuba diving.

Adventure Holiday Craze

Avani Patel, a marine biologist, certified scuba diver, and luxury travel planner enjoys scuba diving and does it at least once or twice a year. She says, “Scuba diving is the perfect adventure for people who like to stay connected to nature and keep the adrenaline pumping. One can experience a magical world that is untouched by any human civilisation. Scuba diving is more than just a recreational activity; it is a thrilling adventure that expands your horizons. Adventure sports have picked up in India in a big way and infrastructure is growing for scuba diving. Today individuals, couples, and families all look forward to combining some adventure activity in their vacation.”

“Scuba diving is the perfect adventure for people who like to stay connected to nature and keep the adrenaline pumping.” — Avani Patel, marine biologist, certified scuba diver

Escape to Tranquility

Diving can improve flexibility, reduce stress, and improve cardiovascular health. Scuba diving is all about being disconnected from the world and being in water aids calmness. In today’s stressful world people are looking for serene experiences. “Once underneath the water, the only sound one hears is one’s breathing, and my focus is on the beauty all around. Thus, Scuba diving is perfect for mental tranquility. The physical exertion improves endorphins, the body’s natural mood enhancers, leading to happiness and relaxation. Undersea, I do not look out for big turtles and fishes, instead the tiny colourful creatures and the spectacular world,” says Airline Captain Parikshit Joshi, who has been enjoying scuba diving for the last three years.

“Scuba diving is perfect for mental tranquility. The physical exertion improves endorphins (body’s natural mood enhancers) leading to happiness and relaxation.” Parikshit Joshi, Airline Captain

India’s coastline extends for almost 8,000 kilometers, where multitudes of marine worlds abound. The sense of exploration into a new world that scuba diving brings attracts people of all ages. Animish Limaye, PADI IDC (Instructor Development Course) Staff Instructor who has a double master’s in marine conservation and biodiversity says, “In India, the best place to dive is the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. Besides there’s diving in Malvan, Goa, Netrani, Cochin, etc. Chennai, Pondicherry, and Lakshadweep. Scuba diving has increased in popularity in India with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) as an agency pushing for celebrities who are certified divers, who have already made scuba diving popular in movies like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Tamil movie 96.” On a holiday if someone decides to spontaneously dive, they can do so as an experience ‘dive tandem’ with an instructor called a ‘Discover Scuba Dive’ by PADI. The first certification course that can be done is the PADI open water diver course, which allows a person to get a scuba diving license to a depth of 18 metres. Diving is accessible now in many Metro cities and many more coastal cities with professional divers doing explorations around India. Limaye has done over 4500 dives and has been working as a dive professional for nine years.

“In India, the best place to dive is the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.” — Animish Limaye, PADI IDC, Staff Instructor

The scuba diving industry has been growing with new dive centers and training facilities. Growing disposable income enhanced lifestyle has made people opt for leisure activities. Today families go diving together and they enjoy the underwater world in India. “I along with my wife, two sisters, and nephews all enjoy diving together. Earlier India had only a few diving centers today there are nearly 150 centers. Scuba diving is not only a leisure activity but also a sport people are willing to take up. People of all age groups 10 years to 60 years come in to train with us,” says Madhava Reddy, owner of Planet Scuba India, a former journalist with Reuters for 15 years, and a certified diver. Planet Scuba India is also into manufacturing scuba diving equipment in India.

Today it is convenient to learn the basics of scuba diving in a pool as many centres in cities have such facilities which save time as one does not have to spend a few days during a trip. Scuba Planet India was the first Inland Scuba Diving School in Bangalore. Planet Scuba India offers diving courses in many places designed and provided by the Professional PADI. “An inland diving facility prepares for the real dive. It helps to gain confidence and enjoy scuba diving without any fear. A weekend of basic theory practice in a swimming pool prepares you for a dive into the ocean. A two-day training comprising knowledge of their equipment, and confined water training takes place in the city. The remaining underwater training is done at a diving destination which does not take too much time,” adds Reddy who has almost 2,000 hours of underwater experience.

The growth in the Indian tourism industry has given a boost to tourists wanting to do scuba diving in India. “Even though Andaman has many unexplored spots, tourism authorities are keen to explore regions with the potential for

diving and develop new tourist diving hotspots as India has a vast coastline. Also, Lakshad-weep and Dwarka are positively influencing the market in the country. Scuba diving is gaining momentum in India in a big way,” says Reddy.

A Therapeutic Experience

Echoing similar views, Padmini Prabhu, a singer and writer who has lived in the Andamans since 2018 says that the soothing effect of being underwater and amidst marine life can lead to a decrease in stress hormones and an overall sense of well-being. “The peace and calm once you descend into the depth, the ethereal marine life, the colours release all the stress with every breath I exhale. It is extremely humbling and therapeutic,” says Padmini. After her first dive, she decided to learn swimming and get certified as an advanced open-water diver.

Scuba Diving Hotspots

The best places to go scuba diving are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Malvan, Goa, Netrani, Cochin, Chennai, and Pondicherry, and the Bay of Bengal to name a few.

Sonakshi Sinha is a certified PADI open-water diver. Recently, Sonakshi shared that she and Zaheer (rumoured boyfriend) are official “Ambassadors”. She wrote: “Our love for the ocean took us to the beautiful #Andaman Islands to do our Advanced Open Water course. As Ambassadors, our mission is to introduce more people to the ocean and its preservation all while discovering new depths ourselves.”

Parineeti Chopra became a certified scuba diver in 2017. She has in the past taken a 7-day scuba diving trip in the Indian Ocean with her brother Shivang Chopra.

Sidharth Malhotra is certified for open water dives by PADI. Sidharth’s father, Sunil Malhotra a former Merchant Navy Captain. The actor has said in an interview earlier; “I love swimming. Thanks to my father, I have felt a connection with the sea since childhood.”

Shraddha Kapoor is a trained and certified advanced scuba diver. She loves to go scuba diving on her holidays.

Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna enjoy scuba diving. The duo celebrated Twinkle’s 50th birthday. She took to social media posts to share her exhilarating experience, during which she went “Finding Nemo” with Akshay.