Diving into water is not just a fun activity for Pranav,10, and Ayush Sardana, 8. They have become India’s youngest ‘brother duo’ to qualify for the sea-diving licence.
The brothers are students of Shimla’s Bishop Cotton School and love water but got inspired from their parents. Their father is a submarine naval officer and mother a skydiver. “Our parents are our main source of motivation and they love adventure sports. Now, I want to go for diving in the Indian Ocean,” Pranav said. The younger brother Ayush said: “I loved the diving experience. The best part were the colourful fishes under the sea.” The brothers are very excited about their achievement. But they have other dreams too. While Pranav wants to become a footballer, Ayush wants to become a scientist. But together the duo want to conquer many more depths. The brothers first went for a two-month training at Visakhapatnam, after which they went to Andaman Islands where they were trained in recreational sea diving and snorkeling. They have undergone rigorous training at Bangalore in use of scuba equipments.
Ayush being underage, as per PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) rules, did his Bubble Maker Course certified by PADI by diving upto 5 metres depth (18 feet). But Pranav being over 10 years of age, was eligible for Junior Open Water Diving Course in sea water and hence went to Netrani Island off Goa.
“Pranav qualified in Junior Open Water Course on Feb 20, 2011. He did four open water dives upto a depth of 12 metres (40 feet), maximum permissible depth as per PADI rules for boys less than 15 years. Thus the brothers became the youngest ‘brother duo’ to qualify for PADI Sea Diving Licence,” their mother Archana said. she added that their main aim is to make their children fearless and enjoy such adventure sports.
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