MEET OUR TEAM

AVTAR SINGH
Resort/ Dive Center Manager & PADI IDC Staff Instructor

Hailing from the mountains in the northern part of the country, Avtar or Avi, as he is more popularly known, had never even swum in the sea until he was 21. Today, more than a decade later, he is a seasoned PADI Instructor and quite possibly the person who spends the most time on the island each year. If you happen to visit Barefoot Scuba during the low season, chances are you will still find Avi around, quietly ensuring everything runs smoothly from tank servicing and equipment checks to the general upkeep of the dive centre. Underwater, Avi is best known for his effortless bubble rings and playful diving style. If you are lucky enough to dive with him, he will probably leave you mesmerised with a stream of perfectly formed bubble rings and may even teach you how to perfect one yourself. While he generally prefers staying away from the day-to-day workings of the dive centre, the moment things get chaotic or guests prove difficult to handle, Avi somehow appears like a knight in shining armour, calmly stepping in, sorting things out, and restoring order before quietly disappearing back into the background again. Calm, dependable, and deeply connected to island life, Avi has become an inseparable part of the Barefoot Scuba experience.

JOBIN JOSEPH
PADI Course Director

Having grown weary of endless Excel sheets and corporate life, Jobin traded the office for the ocean and never looked back. A water lover since childhood, he eventually turned his passion into a career and today happily calls the ocean his workplace. Known for his easy laughter and fun-loving nature, diving with Jobin is always guaranteed to be an entertaining and memorable experience. When it comes to scuba equipment, Jobin is nothing short of a magician. From fixing regulators to troubleshooting dive gear, he has a natural talent for understanding equipment and keeping things running smoothly underwater. Now an in-house Course Director at Barefoot Scuba, Jobin spends his limited months on the island training and mentoring the next generation of dive professionals. Known for pushing divers to become the best versions of themselves while still keeping the learning process fun, he has earned himself the affectionate nickname — the “Daddy of Diving” at Barefoot Scuba.

SAYALI RANADIVE
Assistant Manager & PADI IDC Staff Instructor

Sayali first came to Havelock Island on a holiday in 2015, never imagining that the island would one day become home. Having spent most of her life in Mumbai, she comes from a background in IT and even specialised in Artificial Intelligence during her Master’s degree. Somewhere along the way, however, the ocean managed to pull her in a completely different direction, eventually leading her to leave the corporate world behind and become an instructor at Barefoot Scuba. Known around the dive centre as the self-proclaimed mother of all the cats at Barefoot Scuba. She is also fondly called the ocean’s favourite child and if you are lucky enough to dive with her, chances are you might witness something truly special underwater. Over the years, many guests and divers have jokingly claimed that she is their good luck charm in the water. Today, she works closely with her husband Avtar/Avi in managing the dive centre and plays a key role in shaping the marketing and creative direction of Barefoot Scuba.

RAVI SINGH RAJPUT
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Ravi came to Havelock Island from the mountains with one clear goal — to learn how to swim and eventually become a diving instructor. What started as a challenge soon turned into a passion, and today his enthusiasm in the water is impossible to miss. Always smiling and always ready for a conversation, Ravi has a seemingly endless collection of life stories that somehow never get old, no matter how many times you hear them. Beyond diving, Ravi is also a skilled mixologist with a talent for creating some truly interesting cocktails, often volunteering to whip one up at the end of the day. During his free time, you will most likely find him in the kitchen alongside the chef, experimenting with flavours, recipes, and anything food-related. Whether underwater or around the resort, Ravi brings energy, warmth, and a sense of fun wherever he goes.

ANTO ANTONY
PADI IDC Staff Instructor

Hailing from Kerala, Anto first came to the islands to work in the hospitality industry after completing his hotel management degree. It was on Havelock Island that he first discovered scuba diving, and from the very first dive, he was completely hooked. Today, he is a passionate scuba instructor who loves sharing the magic of the underwater world with others. Apart from teaching diving, Anto is also our dedicated equipment technician and is always tinkering with tools, servicing gear, or learning something new about dive equipment. Deeply invested in his craft, he enjoys staying up to date with the latest in dive gear and takes pride in keeping equipment in top condition. If you stay at Barefoot Scuba Resort, you will most likely find Anto by the beach every morning at sunrise, coffee in hand, quietly enjoying the start of another island day.

DANESH RAO
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Danesh is a passionate dive instructor from Kerala who began his diving journey at just 18 years old. With over six years of experience diving and teaching across India and Indonesia, he brings both skill and infectious enthusiasm to every dive. Among his favourite underwater moments is watching humphead parrotfish glide freely through the reef — something he never gets tired of witnessing. Known for his easygoing nature and genuine love for the ocean, Danesh has a way of making everyone feel comfortable in and around the water. Before becoming an instructor to his students, he prefers becoming their friend first. Outside of diving, Danesh is rarely seen sitting still. If he is not underwater, chances are you will find him carrying a frisbee, cricket bat, badminton racquet, or a ball, enthusiastically convincing everyone around him to join a game. Friendly, energetic, and endlessly approachable, Danesh is easily one of the happy go lucky people you will come across at Barefoot Scuba.

GAYATRI DATYE
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Gayatri is deeply passionate about the ocean and welcomes every diver with a warm smile and infectious enthusiasm. A true ocean spirit, she has a way of making every dive feel less like an activity and more like an adventure shared among friends. Beyond the water, Gayatri is also a gifted singer whose voice often lingers in people’s memories long after the music stops. After a day of diving, you will usually find her at the café with a ukulele in hand, filling the evenings with songs, laughter, and good vibes. As the youngest member of the dive centre, Gayatri is lovingly referred to as the “Gen Z” of Barefoot Scuba. While the rest of the team proudly embraces their “oldie” status, she is the one keeping Barefoot Scuba updated with the latest social media trends and creative ideas. Behind much of the dive centre’s online presence is Gayatri, effortlessly blending her love for the ocean with her eye for storytelling and content creation.

VIVAN RANE
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Originally from Mumbai, Vivan is a marine biologist and PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor with a deep-rooted love for both the mountains and the sea. Since 2018, he has worked in the field of marine conservation and sustainable tourism, collaborating with government bodies and private organizations across India and Fiji. Drawn by the ocean and the life it holds, Vivan eventually chose island life over the city. When he is not underwater, he can usually be found riding through mountain roads on his motorcycle. For him, adventure has always existed in two places — beneath the surface of the ocean and beyond the next bend in the hills.

AMIT (NARAYAN) PARADKAR
PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer

Born and raised close to the ocean, Amit’s connection with the sea has always been a natural part of his life. What began as a fascination with the underwater world slowly grew into a passion for scuba diving, eventually turning into a career built around the ocean. As a scuba instructor, he enjoys introducing people to the magic of breathing underwater while helping them become safe and confident divers. Fun fact: while everyone at the dive centre knows him as Amit, his real name is Narayan — something that often catches students by surprise when they receive their certification cards and suddenly wonder who exactly certified them.

SRIKANTH REDDY
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Born and raised in Hyderabad, the City of Pearls, Srikanth has always been drawn to adventure — whether on the basketball court, during a badminton game, or while exploring the outdoors. After completing his engineering degree and working as a cloud engineer, he discovered scuba diving through Barefoot Scuba during a bouldering trip to Hampi. What began as curiosity soon turned into a passion, eventually inspiring him to leave the corporate world behind and pursue his Divemaster journey. Today, as an Open Water Scuba Instructor, Srikanth enjoys helping others experience the same sense of wonder and connection with the underwater world that changed his life. Known for giving wonderfully monosyllabic answers, conversations with him often require a fair bit of common sense and interpretation, but beneath the few words is someone deeply passionate about diving, adventure, and the ocean.

JITH N REGHU
PADI Divemaster & DSD Leader

Originally from Thrissur, Kerala, Jith is a passionate diving professional with a deep fascination for underwater exploration and marine life. Driven by his long-term goal of becoming a commercial diver, he is constantly building his skills and experience in the underwater world. Curious and dedicated by nature, Jith especially enjoys observing marine creatures, with octopuses being among his favourites. Outside of diving, he enjoys swimming, watching movies, and spending time around animals through his interest in pet farming. Around the dive centre, Jith is known as someone who will rarely ever say “no”. Friendly, dependable, and always smiling, he somehow becomes everyone’s friend in no time…though offering him a beer might just speed up the process for life.