Diminutive diva of diving
Debopriya Saha, ten years old, has become the world’s youngest certified scuba diver.
Most children celebrate their birthdays at fun-filled fiestas with family and friends. But 10year-old Debopriya Saha spent her birthday in the sea, setting a world record.
On June 30, her tenth birthday, Debopriya made two 35foot dives, including a solo dive into the Bay of Bengal off Rushikonda Beach, and became the youngest person in the world to get certified as a scuba diver. The certification was given by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), an internationally recognised diving organisation. The minimum age for certified scuba divers is 10 and Debopriya earned the distinction on the very day she reached that mark. Vizag-born Debopriya’s interest in water sports was triggered quite early in childhood, thanks to her father Deepankar Saha, a skilled diver who retired after serving the Indian Navy for 15 years. “My daughter is a good swimmer, loves the water and is also familiar with swimming in the sea. It helped in her diving too. I came down from Himalayan district of Alipurduar in North Bengal, where I currently live, to enable my daughter to take the scuba diving course in Rushikonda,” says Deepankar
“I DON’T WANT TO STOP AT THIS CERTIFICATION. I WANT TO CONTINUE SCUBA DIVING AND TAKE UP ADVANCED COURSES. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WENT TO AN ACQUAINTANCE’S HOUSE. THEY ASKED ME ABOUT MY AIM IN LIFE, I TOLD THEM I WANT TO BE AN VETERINARIAN AND TREAT AQUATIC ANIMALS. THEY TOLD ME I NEED TO STUDY MARINE SCIENCE. SO, I DECIDED TO BECOME A MARINE BIOLOGIST AS THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF THE SEAS AND OCEANS INTEREST ME A LOT. DIVING ALSO ENABLES ME TO GET A GLIMPSE OF THE VAST AND BEAUTIFUL MARINE LIFE.”
— DEBOPRIYA SAHA
Deborpriya’s diving coach Balaram Naidu, director of Andhra Pradesh-based Live in Adventures, says, “A few children and adults come for a one-time diving experience but Debopriya is serious about professional diving and I decided to train her when I found that she is an excellent swimmer, and meets the prerequisites for a diving certification course – that includes ability to swim 200 metres at a stretch and 10 minutes of float. Within a few days of practice, she was ready for the dives, including the solo dive, which she accomplished on her birthday, earning not only a certificate but also establishing a world record.”
“I don’t want to stop at this certification. I want to continue scuba diving and take up advanced courses,” says the multi-talented Debopriya, who actively participates in extra-curricular activities such as painting, dance and athletics at her school .
It is not surprising that the class V student wants to become a marine biologist. She is fond of Mathematics, Science and English. “When I was younger, I went to an acquaintance’s house. When they asked me about my aim in life, I told them I want to be an veterinarian and treat aquatic animals. They told me, to know more about aquatic life, I need to study marine science. So, I decided to become a marine biologist as the flora and fauna of the seas and oceans interest me a lot,” says the young girl. “Diving also enables me to glimpse the vast and beautiful marine life. I have a dictionary on aquatic animals too. Dolphins and harmless Nurse Sharks are my favourite sea creatures,” she shares.
Asked about her recent achievement, Debopriya says, “I was inspired by my father and wanted to dive like him, though my mother says she still cannot believe that I have set a world record! I want to tell everyone, ‘Do not be afraid of the water. If you follow all the safety precautions and wear the required gear, you will not find it difficult to dive and you will be safe’.”
VIZAG-BORN DEBOPRIYA’S INTEREST IN WATER SPORTS WAS TRIGGERED QUITE EARLY IN CHILDHOOD, THANKS TO HER FATHER DEEPANKAR SAHA, A SKILLED DIVER WHO RETIRED AFTER SERVING THE INDIAN NAVY FOR 15 YEARS. “MY DAUGHTER IS A GOOD SWIMMER, LOVES THE WATER AND IS ALSO FAMILIAR WITH SWIMMING IN THE SEA. IT HELPED IN HER DIVING TOO,” SAYS DEEPANKAR.