Scuba Diving: Bengalureans take the plunge into this new travel trend

BENGALURU: Exploring unchartered waters is what Vidyasagaran Nair, director of engineering at Ericsson, is doing to bond with his son Sachin (21) nowadays. The father-son duo has taken to scuba diving, and go on holidays to the Andamans, Pondicherry , Murudeshwar, Maldives and Egypt.

“Diving involves trust and good communication. Planning diving holidays is also fun as we keep our hectic lives aside to connect on a different level," says Nair.

Move over trekking, bungee jumping and parasailing, scuba diving is the hip new genre for adventure seekers of Bengaluru. A diving holiday at an international destination or as a weekend stress-buster on the west coast of Karnataka is how far wealthy working professionals are willing to go to explore the world beneath the seas.

Prashanth Singh Bararia, a pilot with Jet Airways, has already clocked 100 dives since 2011 at destinations like Maldives, Mauritius, Egypt, Indonesia and Malaysia. “If I am flying to a diving destination, I make it a point to stay back and indulge. I have even bought my own diving gear," says Bararia, who loves the challenging waters of the Komodo Islands in Indonesia.

While Bararia and Nair are certified divers, there are enthusiasts who want to acquire a licence now.Take the case of Harish Kumar, founder of Montessori school chain Siksha. What started off as a wish on his bucket list has turned into a lifestyle for Kumar and his daughter Trisha (19). The two take annual diving holidays and are waiting for the weather to clear up to get their licences. “I am creating memories for my daughter," says Kumar, adding, “We will do a three-day course in Mangaluru. It's economical and convenient to get certification in India."

Experts say that the scuba diving related travel genre could soon be a Rs 500-croreplus industry in India.Apparently , the trend is that once the economy of a nation grows at 7-8% for a decade, leisure diving picks up. And, Bengaluru is a dominant contributor.

Madhava Reddy, owner of Planet Scuba India, says, “Bollywood films 'Blue' and 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' have turned the tide. About 50% of our business comes from Bengaluru. Predominantly techies, finance professionals and pilots aged between 30 and 50 years are the takers. Bengaluru has 12 certified instructors which is more than any other Indian city ." From about seven a month a decade ago, there are about 30-40 enquiries in the city now, says he.

Increasing interest in India has brought Dubai-based certified PADI (The Professional Association of Diving Instructors) instructor Ranjith Punja back to hometown Bengaluru. After teaching open water scuba diving in Dubai for six years, he recently opened his company , Born Wild here. Punja will soon be curating diving holidays on the west coast stretching from Karwar to Mangaluru.

“Mangaluru is surrounded by seas which can create great diving experiences. People here are constantly looking for adventure activities on weekends. The social media is also fuelling the passion in this youth-driven city," says Punja, who is also planning to open a diving school of certification in Mangaluru.