Women Who Dive: Their Stories, In Their Words

Dive Like You Mean It - Part 4

Four women. Four different points on the same journey. All of it honest.

In Part 1, we answered the questions nobody asks out loud. In Part 2, we broke down the gear. In Part 3, we covered the destinations and ended with one line that carries the whole series:

Your first instructor is everything.

Part 4 is where we stop talking and hand it over.

We sent a questionnaire to women who dive in India - instructors, technical divers, recreational divers - and asked them to be honest. About how they started. About what nobody told them. About what this sport has cost them and what it has given them. About what they want other women to know before they get in the water.

What came back was better than anything we could have written for them.

These are their words, lightly edited for length. Nothing fabricated. Nothing softened beyond what they asked us to soften. Before anything is published, each contributor sees their section and has the final say.

Kokil Kamra

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver | Pondicherry and Maldives | 30 dives | 2.5 years diving

How did you get into diving?

Growing up by the ocean, diving always felt like something I was meant to do. I remember someone from school who had started diving really young - certifications and everything - and I was fascinated, but I had no idea how to even ask my parents to spend that kind of money. So the dream stayed on the backburner.

As I got older, the desire never went away, but the cost always held me back. I didn't want to invest so much into something I wasn't sure I'd even enjoy. So I started with step one: surfing. It was the closest I could get to the ocean while still having fun, and it scratched the itch - for a while.

The real turning point came in December 2023. I'd spent the better part of that year saving up to gift my boyfriend a PS5. But just before his birthday, we broke up. And there I was - with money, with a dream I'd been putting off for years, and finally, no reason not to spend it on myself.

So I did. I got my Open Water certification, then my Advanced Open Water. The PS5 fund became my diving fund, and honestly? Best decision I ever made.

What was your first dive like?

My first day was nothing like I imagined. I thought diving was just jumping into the ocean and exploring. Nobody told me about the studying, the buoyancy theory, the terminology - it was genuinely overwhelming.

And then actually being underwater for the first time? Every inch of me surrounded by the ocean. I grew up near the sea my whole life, but being inside it felt like being on a completely different planet.

I thought I knew the ocean. I did not. Case in point - I spotted a lionfish and nearly reached out to touch it. Turns out that's extremely painful. Lesson learned.

When did something shift underwater?

Somewhere around my fifth or sixth recreational dive, I spotted a fish - I can't remember exactly which one - and I just smiled at it. Said hi. Enjoyed its company. Looked around at the coral, the little fish darting around me, and for a moment it felt less like I was a visitor in their world and more like I was part of it.

That was the moment I knew. This wasn't just something I'd ticked off a list - I actually loved it.

What do you wish someone had told you?

I wish someone had told me that the first dive doesn't have to be magical - and that's okay. If you're on the fence about getting into diving, here's what I'd say: if you think you're having fun now, just wait. Because the more you dive, the more comfortable you get underwater, and that's when everything changes. You start noticing things you'd have completely missed before. You stop just surviving the dive and start actually living it.

The best part is still ahead of you. You just have to get there.

What is the most uncomfortable part nobody warned you about?

Nobody warns you about the wetsuit. Well, they do - but you don't really understand it until you're squeezed into one for the first time. Uncomfortable in a way that's hard to explain.

And then there's the other thing. Peeing in the ocean. They warn you about that too - tell you it's normal, that most divers do it, that it's fine. And you nod along thinking that will never be me. But spend enough days in the water with nowhere else to go, and suddenly you understand. You just do it. And honestly? It's fine.

Some things you just have to experience to accept.

What keeps you diving?

I like making friends with the fishies and seeing colourful corals and jumping in the middle of the ocean.

Anything about diving in India you want women to know?

There's this assumption that everything abroad is going to be better - and with diving, I genuinely expected that to be true. It wasn't.

Diving in Pondicherry made me feel safer than I have at premium destinations like the Maldives. The way dives are planned, the quality of the equipment, how approachable and communicative the dive instructors are - India genuinely holds its own, and sometimes surpasses what I've experienced elsewhere.

So if you want to get certified, do it here. Learn the basics in India, get comfortable in familiar waters, and then when you go abroad, you're not figuring out the fundamentals - you're just exploring.

Rujul Shah

PADI Scuba Instructor | India and Sri Lanka | 1000+ dives | 9+ years diving

How did you get into diving?

Almost a decade ago I read about scuba while researching underwater archaeological sites in India at the uni library. Prior to that I was always under the impression that it is something only serious explorers do. After doing some more research, I ended up signing up for a couple of courses at the nearest dive centre I could find.

What was your first dive like?

I only remember the back roll. The moment I splashed in, the momentary claustrophobia hit when my mask flooded and salt filled my eyes and nose - clearly the rental mask was not for my face. But after descending and actually moving around the reef, the feeling of weightlessness, the increased mobility, being in water itself helped quiet the brain noise and I was instantly hooked.

What do you wish someone had told you before your first dive?

The only nightmare about diving initially was not finding a proper mask that fit and fins that buried into my skin, causing battle scars that would last for weeks. And find it believable or not, I only found out that I had the option of buying a proper mask after signing up for the Divemaster internship.

Looking back, I wish someone had told me earlier that comfort matters and that struggling with ill-fitting gear isn't something you simply have to accept.

What would you say to a woman who wants to try diving but hasn't yet?

Research the location, the dive centre, and the dive professionals you're planning to dive with. The quality of your first diving experience often has less to do with diving itself and more to do with the people introducing you to it.

One thing I wish more women knew before getting into diving is that you don't need to prove anything to anyone. I've seen many women hesitate because they think they need to be stronger, fitter, more adventurous, or somehow less scared before signing up. The reality is that most of us start with exactly the same fears.

Also, it is okay to take up space. Someone pointed out to me recently that women divers don't ask for help - and that mindset doesn't work very well in diving. If you're uncomfortable, tired, cold, seasick, nervous, or simply having a bad day, say so. One of the best things about diving is that it's not a competition, and there's no prize for suffering in silence.

Another thing that isn't talked about enough is how much our bodies can change throughout the month. Your energy levels, comfort in the water, and overall experience can feel very different depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle. Diving while menstruating is completely normal, but there are days when you may feel stronger and more comfortable than others - and that's okay too.

Anything about diving in India you want women to know?

One thing I would tell any person interested in diving in India is that there is a big difference between the actual diving community and businesses that simply sell "scuba experiences" at tourist destinations.

Many people don't realise this when they're starting out. They see a place advertising scuba diving, assume it's a dive centre, and book a dive. Quite often, what they get is what divers jokingly call "tea-bag diving". You're taken underwater by a diver, shown a fish or two, someone takes a few photos of you, and within five to ten minutes you're brought back up. You might leave with some nice pictures, but very little understanding of diving itself.

The real diving community feels very different. People are interested in teaching, learning, marine life, conservation, travel, equipment, and improving their skills. Good dive centres want you to become a better diver, not just sell you a single experience.

As a woman, pay attention to how questions are handled. If an instructor gets impatient when you ask questions, rushes through briefings, dismisses your concerns, or makes you feel like you're holding the group back - that's a red flag. A good instructor will never make you feel embarrassed for being nervous or needing more time.

The good news is that India has a very strong and welcoming diving community once you find it. Spend a little time researching the instructors and dive operations, not just the destination. The people teaching you will have a far bigger impact on your experience than the location itself.

What keeps you diving?

Being underwater feels like coming home. It allows me the space to truly appreciate the planet - one rarely finds on land where we're always flooded with notifications and the constant noise of everyday life.

Nilanjana Biswas (Neilu)

SSI Divemaster Instructor | Andaman | 2000+ dives | 3 years diving

How did you get into diving?

I have been a swimmer since I was ten and I was looking for a sustainable hobby related to water. In 2023 I decided to pursue my Open Water and Advanced Open Water and completed the course in Maldives.

I got to know about the course from watching Instagram posts of a college batchmate.

What was your first dive like?

Easy. I was comfortable, and that's how I knew I could pursue it further. I had no fear - some snorkelling had helped before the course.

When did something shift underwater?

My first marine life sighting was an Eagle Ray, and that is how everything changed. Ever since, I dive for the rays.

What do you wish someone had told you?

Should have started earlier. Changing the course of life at 31 is not easy.

What is the most uncomfortable part nobody warned you about?

That diving is a very male dominated industry and as a woman, each day will be challenging. That every time, it will come down to comparison - even if one is at par in skills and knowledge.

What would you say to a woman who wants to try diving but hasn't yet?

If you are a swimmer, just do the course. Water heals.

What keeps you diving?

Passion for life and teaching new students their Open Water course.

A note on Neilu: she reached out to us while we were building this series with something that stayed with us. We are sharing it with her permission.

"The complexity of questions that arise from a woman when she enquires about an Open Water course is heart wrenching. They are actually looking for an escape, a proof that they want to show the world that they are brave at 18 metres, and what it means to them. They are trying to probe something which we will never fully understand. They are fighting so many battles, and it means so much to them. Like a sense of validation that only comes with the certification. That they achieved something. And why I work hard with these women is because tomorrow they will inspire other women and kids to sign up for this sport."

We went back to Neilu with three more questions - from her perspective as an instructor specifically. What came back was something we were not prepared for.

What does a woman bring into the water with her that a male student typically does not?

She comes in with a general consciousness and complex about herself, and guilt for attempting something adventurous. She would have had to get through a lot of hurdles even before showing up on day one. It starts as early as taking permission from partners, parents. Then solo travelling doubts to the islands, safety concerns. They either make it for the course with family - under the pretext of a vacation - or they come as a group of girlfriends, or with their partners. Sometimes both do the course together. In some cases they are forced to do the course. In some cases the men are just supporting.

Perhaps the guilt of enjoying freedom, and life.

What do most dive instructors in India get wrong when teaching women students?

They lack empathy, and eventually lose patience. Most male instructors have already judged a woman as she enters the dive centre - delicate, not strong enough, too pretty, too fat, too dumb.

You told us that the women who come to you are looking for proof. As their instructor, what does it feel like to be the person who gives them that?

Motivated. To be able to play a small role in their journey. Most of them never come back for further courses unless really motivated. Because to come back again would be to convince everyone around them, once again.

She then told us two stories. We are sharing them as she told them.

Shreya Mehta

PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer | TDI Trimix 70m | Mumbai | 2500+ dives | 8 years diving

How did you get into diving - and when did you know you were going to take it further than most people do?

My first dive was a Discover Scuba Dive back in 2018, and it was my first ever underwater experience. However dramatic it may sound, the moment I took my first breath underwater, I just knew.

Diving became something that I had to learn and be better at - and once I did my Open Water course a year later, I knew that there was no looking back.

What drew you toward technical diving specifically?

As the question says, it's a small world - and as a female, even more so. What attracted me was the depth of knowledge and learning required for tech diving, and the depth of diving itself. I am fascinated by what a human body is capable of doing, and technical diving is one such field where we are still exploring the potential of the human body. The decompression theory, even though established and well researched, is still open to discussion and research.

As compared to recreational diving, tech diving has its own set of rules. What it offers is the opportunity to explore more, to learn more about diving, and the ability to keep going deeper and deeper. It opens up a whole new world of opportunities which as a recreational diver we might not always have.

What was the hardest part of the journey from recreational diver to technical diver?

Managing the equipment initially. Most of the equipment is not designed for people who are small, so being able to reach certain bolt snaps and dump valves was quite a learning experience. It took me a while to understand how to manage configurations based on my body - and at some point, that struggle of not being able to reach something or do something got me quite frustrated.

As a woman in technical diving in India - what has that experience actually been like?

For me personally, the experience has been quite a journey - a good one though. Even though it is a highly male dominant field, I was lucky enough to find a mentor and friends who never underestimated me. In fact, they pushed me to do more and made sure that I know that I'm capable of doing everything that they are able to do.

Of course, there'd always be people who doubted me, or didn't think I was strong enough, or that I should be doing it at all. But the support system around me - my instructors and buddies - always made sure that none of that affected me.

Even though it is a highly male dominated field, I had the opportunity of being around some of the most supportive men.

Have you had to work differently to earn the same trust or respect?

Sometimes, yes. As a female, you're always seen as someone who is not as strong, and someone who would probably need help with lifting heavy things, including dive gear. So in practice, it looked like not asking for help even when you might need it on some days - because you don't want people to underestimate or doubt you. Because you don't want to be seen as weak and hear people say things like how females never lift their own tanks or make others do the heavy lifting for them.

Has being a woman in this field ever felt like an advantage?

Definitely yes.

When you're one of the only women doing this, there's a pride that you hold in yourself - especially when you're underwater, away from all the nonsense that people speak on land.

When a woman comes to you for training, what do you notice?

The most common questions are usually around menstruation and diving.

A lot of times, they are not comfortable with so much male gaze around them. Even though a lot of females come diving these days, a lot of times the boats would still be male dominated - and that's something some females are not comfortable with.

Females are also a lot more worried about how the changing and shower room situation is, especially when they are new to the diving world.

What makes a good instructor for women learners specifically?

Someone who genuinely clears all their doubts, and doesn't make them feel like the questions they are asking are too much or not important.

I believe that females require a certain kind of softness when they are learning something that they might not fully be comfortable with but are still attempting it. I also believe that females feel supported when they feel safe - when they are not constantly thinking of something wrong happening with them.

What do most dive instructors in India get wrong when working with women students?

A lot of times, not knowing when to push and when not to. Not understanding that female physiology is different from male physiology. The same techniques that work for a male student might not work for a female student. The equipment we use is also made more to fit male bodies - and not understanding how to adjust it to the female body can make it difficult for female students as well as the instructor.

What would you tell a woman who just got her Open Water cert and is fascinated by what you do?

The first thing I would tell her is that there's no limit to what can be done and what she can do.

The honest timeline: there is no timeline. You can do it in six months or you can do it in five years - it would all depend on the amount of time, effort and finances you are willing to put in. But there is no shortcut. The more time you spend practising in the water, the better you will be. It is not about reaching or achieving a certain title. It is about how confident you are in yourself and how good of a diver you want to be. Titles are easy to achieve. You could do one course after the other - but is that actually going to make you a safe and confident diver? Not really.

Get more dives in. Dive as often as you can. Do your Advanced course. As you feel more confident, do your Rescue course - because that's one course where you'll know what it means to keep yourself and your buddy safe and out of emergencies. Every time you dive, aim to be at least one percent better than the last. That's what is going to help you achieve your dive goals - whatever they may be.

What do you want women in India to know about what is possible for them in this sport?

Everything is possible. It is your choice. You decide where you want to be in your diving journey, and that is going to be possible for you. It is not a reassurance. It is a fact - and some of us female instructors and female tech divers are the living proof of it. If we have been able to achieve it, I am sure every female in this country is capable of achieving it, if they put their mind and heart to it.

What keeps you diving?

The calm beneath the surface, and the world unexplored.

A Note to Close

Parts 1 through 3 of this series were written by us - by a man working in diving, using research and the contributions of the women around him to try to say something useful.

Part 4 is not that.

What you have just read is four women speaking directly, about something they know better than any article can fully capture. The gear that did not fit. The masks that leaked through a hundred dives before anyone suggested buying their own. The male-dominated boats and changing rooms and dive briefings. The eagle ray that changed everything. The pride of being one of the only women in a room, underwater, away from all the nonsense that people speak on land.

We are grateful they were willing to share it.

If you have something to add - your own experience, your own story, something you wish was in this article - contact us. This series is not closed. It is growing.

And if you are the woman who has been thinking about diving for a while: you have now heard from four women across every level of this sport. A recreational diver two and a half years in. An instructor with a thousand dives. An SSI instructor with two thousand. A technical diver at seventy metres.

They all started with a first dive.