World's youngest female master scuba diver, Kyna Khare.
Credit: X/@ANI
Achieving an extraordinary feat of being the world's youngest female master scuba diver, Bengaluru's Kyna Khare (12) and her journey is marked by utter dedication, passion, skill and discipline.
Specialised Nitrox diving, advanced open water certification, perfect buoyancy control, rescue diver training and various other special courses are some of her achievements in the watersport recognising her as a 'Master Diver'.
Young divers with exceptional knowledge, dedication and proficiency are awarded with this prestigious title.
Kyna who took her first dive in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, started scuba diving when she was 10, followed by her decision to pursue more diving courses.
Kyna told ANI, "I started scuba diving when I was 10 years old. I first scuba-dived in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and it was a fun experience. Then I finished my open water course in Bali, Indonesia and then I did my advanced open water course in Thailand. I officially became a master diver in Andaman and Nicobar Islands."
While talking to ANI, Kyna also shared her experience as to how soothing the watersport makes her feel.
She said, "Underwater is very calm and relaxing for me... My parents supported me a lot in this journey... I have won a few awards in swimming and scuba diving, which I consider as a fun game... Despite all the dangers in the ocean, I am not afraid at all."
Kyna who credits her parents for her success, is described as 'water baby' by her mother Anshuma.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, Anshuma said, "Kyna has always been a water baby. She learned to swim at two years of age. We had to get her out of the pool. She used to swim in the apartment's swimming pool."
Reminiscing about her scariest experience during scuba diving, Kyna said that it was in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during a rescue diving course.
She said, "I have so many stories and experiences underwater. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands were scary because the weather was so challenging and bad. I had to do my rescue diving course there. The water was choppy, and there was a heavy storm and rain. I had to dive still inside the water and drag an unconscious diver to the boat 20 meters away."
According to Hindustan Times, while talking about some of her big challenges, Kyna said, "You just do not know what is about to happen. There could be terrible weather, which does not let you see anything. The person you had dived with could get lost, and you have to look for them. Sometimes, fish try to attack you. One has to be careful"
While talking about the places where she has performed her dives, Kyna said, "In India, I have scuba-dived in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in addition to Maldives, Bali, and Thailand... Right now, I broke the world record by becoming the world's youngest master diver... You don't know what to expect underwater and that's the best part... I want to pursue Marine Science because I am really fascinated by the ocean."
Worried about Kyna stepping into the scuba diving world, Anshuma said that they (Kyna's parents) decided to let her take a chance after seeing her passion for the watersport.
According to HT, explaining her worries, Anshuma said, "We did not know if it was possible. Through specialised instructors, she could do a first dive. She wanted to do more, get certified. We did not want to push her because we had our fears, but we decided to give it a shot because of her passion. It reinforced our belief that she should follow her passion."
Kyna's mother also said that her little girl gets tired easily and so, her father takes care of Kyna's diet plans, complete sleep schedules and safety gears with protocols.
Anshuma encouraged other parents to let their children follow their passion, saying, "In today's world, nothing is impossible. Just follow your dream."