Dwit Nandu received a truly special birthday gift that will hold lifelong value. At the age of 10, just a day after celebrating his birthday on Thursday, he embarked on a dive of 40 feet off the coast of Puducherry.
This remarkable feat led him to earn the esteemed title of the “Youngest Junior Open Water Scuba Diver” in the world on Friday. With his father also being a diver, Dwit courageously delved into the Arabian Sea at 8 am, and the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) honored him with this title.
Dwit accomplished this by undergoing the “junior open water diver” course, which is offered globally by PADI and requires a minimum age of 10 years.
How does Dwit describe his experience?
Reflecting on his achievement, Dwit shared, “It was an exhilarating experience to prove myself as a junior open water diver… I couldn’t be happier.” Course instructor Riyas Jalal noted, “Dwit has become the youngest junior open water diver after diving 40 feet beneath the Arabian Sea off Pondicherry at 10 years and one day.”
Drawing inspiration from his father Amit, a professor at HR College of Commerce & Economics, Churchgate, and a certified deep-sea scuba diver, Dwit’s enthusiasm was further fueled by his elder brother’s status as an advanced open water scuba diver.
Jalal, the course instructor, commended Dwit’s remarkable aptitude, stating, “He quickly grasped all the skills. He’s the only student I’ve had who consistently asked questions about each skill practiced underwater.”
Dwit’s swimming journey:
Dwit Nandu underwent intensive training in swimming followed by a comprehensive scuba diving course. PADI’s certification requirements for the junior scuba diver course mandate strong swimming abilities and overall physical health.
Temple Adventures in Puducherry, a PADI-certified 5-Star Instructor Development Centre, facilitated Dwit’s journey.
Temple Adventures’ spokesperson, Jayananditha Shankar, confirmed Dwit’s enrollment in their program. She also stated that he successfully completed the PADI junior open water certification, which designates him as the youngest junior open water diver.
This qualification grants Dwit the ability to dive anywhere in the world. PADI provides a series of certification courses. This includes Junior Open Water Diver, Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, and Deep Diver.
Dwit’s course encompassed advanced swimming skills, the capability to swim 200 meters unaided in open waters, etc. In addition, it involves completion of five modules and a written exam. Apart from that, there is a confined water training in a swimming pool, and four open water dives.