FUN, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, ADVENTURE ENTHUSIASTS, PASSION, ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS-Just a few words that describe the intent of the members of the Bangalore Dive Club. This forum of scuba divers in Bangalore meet periodically to discuss not only their various dive expeditions but collectively take a stand on environmental issues, especially those relating to the dive industry.

 

Its thanks to their lobbying that Nethrani on Karnataka’s coast was reopened to divers last year.  The Bangalore Dive Club in association with Planet Scuba India introduced the first ever dive festival, Divestock, last December (2009), which saw the equal participation of the Indian government, Dive enthusiasts, marine biologists etc. come together for the first time and put the scuba diving industry in the limelight.

They have since been involved in a variety of small-scale initiatives like beach clean ups and discussions with experts on issues such as the poaching of turtles, effects of pollution on corals etc.

 

The club recently completed its first year in existence and celebrated its anniversary, a landmark achieved thanks to the sustained enthusiasm of its members and the sustained efforts directed by Madhava Reddy and Rohan Suliman, the club president. They have chosen the “prevention of shark finning in India” as the primary cause towards which they will work this year through various drives and discussions. "Today, the contribution of scuba diving may be minuscule, but in five years, with the plans under implementation, this adventure will be a significant contributor to sea- based tourism of the country," said Madhava Reddy, Secretary of the Club and founder Director of Planet Scuba India-the company that established the first dive club in the country.

 

 

The event was held on July 4,2010 and attended by divers and dive enthusiasts. It was a day filled with activity for the entire family- underwater relays, games in the pool and contests.

 

The Bangalore Dive Club, which is open to all certified divers and non-divers with an interest in the sport, gives a social platform to bring collective strength to efforts to provide opportunities for safe and enjoyable diving experiences, professional dive education and conservation of underwater ecology. The club was formally launched in June, 2009, with the launch supported by Karnataka's Tourism Department and Planet Scuba India, the country's first inland scuba diving centre.

 

"We believe the time has come for India to become a major force in the world of scuba diving. From the information we have, it has the potential of becoming a billion dollar industry over the next five years, “said Rohaan Sulaiman, the President of the Bangalore Dive Club.” We have created the first of its kind public organization, the Bangalore Dive Club, to ensure that this adventure follows all the global norms for safe and enjoyable underwater experience."