AVTAR SINGH
Manager - Operations & PADI IDC Staff Instructor

Hailing from the mountains in the northern part of the country, Avi, as he is popularly known, hadn’t gone for a swim in the sea until he was 21. Today, this PADI Instructor is our staff who spends the most amount of time on the island in a year. If you visit us in the low season, chances are, you’ll still meet Avtar, keeping a check on the servicing of tanks. If you end up underwater with this guy, he will most likely enamour you with a flurry of bubble rings and may even teach you how to perfect one. He is a parent to Spidey, one of the cats you are likely to meet at Barefoot Scuba.

MIA RAGHAVI
Manager - Sales and Marketing & PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Mia is sometimes Missing In Action from the Havelock dive centre because of her active role in the marketing side of things at the Bangalore office. She spends half the season diving every day and the other half living an office life back in the city. She previously worked in public relations after getting a Master’s degree in Strategic Communication and PR.

Mia charms her divers with her gentle nature. She enjoys reading and writing and has also authored a book.

SHONALI GHOSAL
PADI Master Instructor

This PADI Master Instructor had her first experience of diving when she was only 14 years old. She is now living out a childhood dream as a part of the team at Havelock. Prior to this stint, Shonali was a journalist based in New Delhi. She usually chooses to spend surface intervals snorkeling rather than drying off on the boat, always hopeful of a surprise visit from unusual marine life. In her free time, Shonali would abandon the world for her Kindle and a hammock on the beach.

JOBIN JOSEPH
PADI IDC Staff Instructor

Having gotten weary of scrolling through Excel sheets, Jobin left the corporate world for the world of scuba diving. Since childhood, he has loved being in the water, and today he has made the ocean his office and thoroughly enjoys his work. He is a magician when it comes to fixing regulators and other scuba equipment.

Jobin enjoys having a hearty laugh all the time and diving with him is sure to be a real fun experience.

KIRTAN SHAH
PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer
If you’re having trouble with his name, he shortens it and introduces himself as KD. KD spent years visiting Barefoot Scuba as a guest before he hopped over onto the other side of the counter. He has a Master’s in Biochemical Engineering and is also a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. In his personal time, he teaches Pranic Healing and is drawn to meditation and spiritual pursuits.

SADANANDA DUTTA
PADI IDC Staff Instructor

Having trouble with his name? Don’t worry, we just call him Sada too. A part of his childhood was spent on Little Andaman, where he saw the wrath of the tsunami that affected these islands in 2006. Sada is a PADI Instructor at Barefoot Scuba and is usually to be found running off to the playground with his football shoes when he gets some free time. Look out for some impeccable dance moves, and in water, look forward to getting a mountain of patience from this guy.

AMIT KUMAR ARYA
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
Growing up in the picturesque Haldwani-Nainital region, Amit has always had a love for water and used to often go swimming in the lake. Today he is a passionate and kind scuba instructor who enjoys night dives in particular. A huge manga fan, Amit is often found skimming comic strips during his free time.

SAYALI RANADIVE
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Sayali came to Havelock for the first time on a holiday in 2015 and eventually chose to make the island her home. She has spent most of her life in Mumbai and has a background in IT. She studied Artificial Intelligence during her Master’s degree. She has, however, left all that behind to become an instructor at Barefoot Scuba.

Her spirit animal is a Panda. She usually enjoys talking about movies and tends to remember dialogues from the many movies that she has seen; both Hollywood and Bollywood.

RAVI SINGH RAJPUT
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Ravi came to Havelock island from the mountains with a singular goal: to learn how to swim and become a diving instructor. His passion for work shows in the form of superior enthusiasm in the water. Always smiling and always ready to engage in a conversation, he has a shedload of interesting life stories that never get old even when we hear for the umpteenth time. A skilled mixologist, he has the most interesting cocktail recipes and often volunteers to whip up a quick one.

AVINASH LALL
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Born and brought up in Port Blair, Avinash is the go-to person to learn about the islander way of life in the Andamans. Keen to learn new trades, he has handled accounts and worked as a computer hardware technician too prior to becoming a diving instructor. Avinash is a foodie and outdoor person who enjoys playing cricket in his free time. One can catch some amazing blocks while playing volleyball with him.

ANTO ANTONY
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

Hailing from Kerala, Anto first came to the islands to work in the hospitality industry following his hotel management degree. It was on Havelock that he first discovered diving and it got him hooked. Today he’s a passionate scuba instructor sharing his love for the underwater world with others. If you stay at Barefoot Scuba Resort, you’ll likely find Anto at the beach with a cup of coffee every morning at sunrise.

AKSHAY MANCHEKAR
PADI DSD Leader

Akshay is an electrical engineer by education and an ocean lover by passion. He came to the Andamans with the sole intention of becoming a dive professional and he did. He’s as cheerful as he’s dedicated and hardworking. Thanks to his interest and educational background, he has sound knowledge on various dive equipment.