We received an email from Satish Pisharody recently informing us of his 10-year old son Sahil's completion of a PADI Junior Open water certification. While Sahil may not be the youngest ever open water diver, he seems to have pipped the previous record for the youngest Indian open water graduate, as the letter below indicates:

Hi: I happened to read the following article published on your website (appended below). While it is creditable for a deaf and dumb boy to achieve the PADI Open Water scuba diving certification at a young age of 13 years, we may have a younger person, in the general category, who has achieved this distinction now.

My son, Sahil Pisharody, completed his 3-day Open Water scuba diver certification on 31 May 2008, while we were on holiday in Pattaya, Thailand. He was born on 02 Dec 1997, which makes him just under 10 yrs and 6 months (10 yrs is the minimum requirement for undergoing the Junior Open Water certification). A Junior open water certified diver automatically becomes an Open Water diver on becoming 13 years old - no other course needs to be completed, as the skill requirements forthe two are the same.

The course was completed at Aquanauts Dive Centre, Pattaya. The main instructor was Simon Abbott (seen in the picture "Sahil taking PADI assessment"). Ashley & Sera - two other instructors also played a small yet significant part in getting him through the rigors of the certification. 

This is for your records and in case you choose to publish this as an inspiration to other kids that may want to take up underwater adventure sports like scuba diving.  

Congratulations to Sahil, and we wish him many years of safe and enjoyable undewrwater experiences. 

The article that inspired Sahil’s dad to write to us follows:

Youngest scuba diver is deaf and dumb
India - A 13-year old deaf and dumb boy from the Andaman and Nicobar islands, Gaurav Baidya, has become the country's youngest scuba diver on receiving the  Pacific Area Diving Institute (PADI) certificate, the international scuba body certificate, after successfully demonstrating all skills required to become a PADI open water scuba diver.

Gaurav was given the PADI certificate by S R Mehta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Environment and Forest Secretary of A and N administration at a valedictory function.