OT Tell us a bit about yourself&hellip
Dhirendra Rawat I&rsquove been a leisure, spa and adventure consultant for over twenty years. I studied commerce in college though, and then specialised in Adventure and Tourism Management. I also took an advanced mountaineering course in the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and worked as a mountain guide. I have undertaken something like thirty-five expeditions &mdash river rafting, trans-Himalayan treks, mountaineering&hellip Then the Leela, Goa, made me an offer I couldn&rsquot refuse. It meant I could be close to the water, so I moved to the west coast, and helped set up their spa, recreation and water sports facilities. Later, I did a similar project for another hotel. Around this time, I met several expat adventure experts and got interested in water sports. I became a PADI-certified Open Water Scuba Instructor in 2002. I also went to Thailand for the RYA course for skippering yachts.
OT When did Dreamz Diving come about
Dhirendra Rawat I started Dreamz Diving in 2007 in Murudeshwara, Karnataka, and in 2009, we opened a dive centre in Palolem, Goa. Our outfit is a registered PADI dive centre and is also a member of the Association of Dive Centres of India. We offer basic (for everybody, even non-swimmers) and certificate courses between mid-October and May.
The dive sites around Netrani island (near Murudeshwara) are excellent with a visibility of ten to fifteen metres underwater, and have abundant marine life. We also offer tours to other sites &mdash even the Maldives, if we have interested groups.
OT You&rsquove dabbled in so many adventure sports &mdash why did you settle on scuba diving
Dhirendra Rawat First, diving is a green sport. There is no pollution and you seek to discover new species&hellip I also love teaching and spreading awareness about marine life. Plus, I feel relaxed in the water. Diving is something you can do at any age there&rsquos no pressure on the body.
OT What&rsquos your clientele like
Dhirendra Rawat Earlier, it used to be Europeans or wealthy Indians. These days, we get a large number of college students as well. By and large, those who come to us tend to be well-behaved, respect nature as well as diving.
OT The oldest client you&rsquove taken out for a dive
Dhirendra Rawat He must have been sixty-five. I&rsquove also had people with ailments &mdash a gentleman who had just had a bypass surgery, for instance, was keen on diving. We couldn&rsquot take him for a dive. But he snorkelled and loved it.
OT On an average, how much time do you spend on the water, and how much underwater
Dhirendra Rawat We go out on rotation, so I&rsquom not going out every single day but on the days that I do, I spend between six to eight hours on the water and about two to three hours underwater.
OT Any remarkable marine life you&rsquove spotted
Dhirendra Rawat By far, the most amazing encounters are those with sharks. We get the blacktip shark in Netrani and it&rsquos a special thing to view them from a metre or two away. They&rsquore cold, emotionless creatures, and yet, they&rsquore curious, even friendly. I&rsquove been fascinated by moray eels, and stumped by a juvenile giant trevally (we had to look it up on the internet). We constantly stumble upon strange-looking things we can&rsquot recognise. There are some magnificent nudibranches in these parts too.
OT Favourite dive sites (apart from Netrani)...
Dhirendra Rawat There are many but I think I&rsquod have to say the Maldives. It&rsquos a completely different scene. And if you&rsquore on a liveaboard &mdash I was on one for a couple of weeks &mdash it&rsquos wonderful.
Dhirendra Rawat, Diving Instructor and Executive Director, Dreamz Diving, Murudeshwara & Goa 9740752480 dreamzdiving.com
