Pune Underwater Festival To Also Feature Differently Abled Divers

Pune Underwater Festival

Following the success of the first edition of the Pune Underwater Festival, founders Ankit Saboo and Kshitij Mittal of Finkick Adventures, are ready to bring an exciting second round of the festival that will be held on September 10.

Keen on promoting scuba diving and awareness amongst all, this year, the festival will see two differently abled people diving and taking part in the activities.

“Diving is a safe sport. It doesn’t matter even if you are differently-abled. Water is a weightless medium so even a small movement can propel you forward. Both the people taking part are wheelchair-bound. One of them is paraplegic and the other cannot support his weight due to polio and uses a wheelchair,” explains Mittal.

Apart from this, the festival will also focus highly on creating awareness about marine conservation. A photo exhibition will also display the works of underwater photographers and marine conservationists. “We had a talk last year but people found it very boring. This year, we’ve decided to keep it very informal and casual. Umeed Mistry, has been photographing marine life for over a decade and he even has research on this being conducted in the Andaman Island. Sachin Khera, who is also the official photographer of the event, has been capturing whale sharks across the world as they are quite an endangered species. We have 14 instructors at the festival who also have many years of experience and know the present deteriorating condition of the marine ecosystem due to garbage and other factors,” adds Mittal.

With just 200 spots for water activities, this festival has planned a host of underwater games like cycling, poker, target practice, hockey and free diving.

Pune Underwater Festival“We’ve kept the spots limited so that our instructors can give enough attention to divers especially first-timers. There will be a separate section for those who will be diving for the first time as our instructors will help them feel weightless underwater. We also have set up wide ropes for slackliners to come and perform some tricks over water and a few inches over land to avoid any injuries.”

Visitors will be able to enjoy a fun-filled day as famous VJ and DJ Nikhil Chinapa will be hosting the event. As it turns out, Chinapa too is an avid diver and a sports enthusiast.

The festival will be held at the Divisional Sports Complex, Yerwada.

Vijayta Lalwani