Dhirendra Rawat

OT: Tell us a bit about yourself…

Dhirendra Rawat: I’ve 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 — river rafting, trans-Himalayan treks, mountaineering… Then the Leela, Goa, made me an offer I couldn’t 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 — even the Maldives, if we have interested groups.

OT: You’ve dabbled in so many adventure sports — 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… 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’s no pressure on the body.

OT: What’s 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’ve taken out for a dive?

Dhirendra Rawat: He must have been sixty-five. I’ve also had people with ailments — a gentleman who had just had a bypass surgery, for instance, was keen on diving. We couldn’t 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’m 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’ve spotted?

Dhirendra Rawat: By far, the most amazing encounters are those with sharks. We get the blacktip shark in Netrani and it’s a special thing to view them from a metre or two away. They’re cold, emotionless creatures, and yet, they’re curious, even friendly. I’ve 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’t 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’d have to say the Maldives. It’s a completely different scene. And if you’re on a liveaboard — I was on one for a couple of weeks — it’s wonderful.

Dhirendra Rawat, Diving Instructor and Executive Director, Dreamz Diving, Murudeshwara & Goa 9740752480; dreamzdiving.com