Indian Brothers Become Youngest Scuba Divers

At ages 8 and 10.

Always fascinated by the sea and marine life and inspired by their naval officer father and sky-diver mother, two boys from Chandigarh have become the youngest pair of brothers to qualify for sea diving licences.

The boys - Ayush, 8 and Pranav Sardana, 10 - have been certified by Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) in Junior Open Water Diver Course recently.

"Ayush, being under 10, was underage for open sea diving as per PADI rules and achieved the feat in confined waters of a swimming pool whereas Pranav was eligible to dive in sea water," said the boys' grandfather S.N. Sardana.

Both the brothers underwent training in both theory and practicals at Bangalore before being given exposure to sea diving, Sardana said. The boys then went to Vishakhapatnam to train for two months as the ability to swim a minimum of 200 metres and float for 15 minutes at a stretch are major pre-requisites for sea diving.

"We had a fear of underwater marine life like fish, sea snakes and were apprehensive of use of underwater equipment but gradually we overcame these," Pranav told IANS.

"The main source of motivation have been our parents who are keen adventure sport enthusiasts. They guided and encouraged us all the day," Ayush told IANS.

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So, the debate rages on.

Your thoughts on the Junior Open Water Diver Course and children as young as 8 becoming certified in this manner? Has PADI set sensible standards for youth to dive safely into SCUBA, or dangerously dumbed down the sport of diving? Is 8-years-old too young? What about seven? Five?

Where should the line be drawn?