A 10-year-old Scuba Diver and Her Father’s Quest to Clean Ocean Floors

Aravind Tharunsri, the father

For me, it all began in 1997, off the Andaman Islands. I come from a family of physical education teachers, so sports run in my veins. I was never the bookish type. I wanted to do something different, something fun with my life. Thanks to my father who introduced me to my first dive, and that was it. I was hooked. The calm of the water and the world beyond land fascinated me to a point where I instantly knew this wouldn’t be the last time I’d be diving. Fast forward to Mamallapuram, where I met Rob and Dave, who introduced me to the professional diving industry. Today, after 18 years as a dive professional, I teach scuba diving to the defense sector and people with disabilities.

The decision to combine scuba diving with ocean cleanup came naturally. Every dive revealed the beauty of marine life while exposing the ugly side - plastic pollution. The harmful ghost nets humans abandon in water bodies kill over 500,000 marine lives every year. It needed serious action. So, I decided to take that first step and started collecting plastic and ghost nets from the ocean floor with each dive.

Slowly, I started involving other certified divers to join me, and now it has become our collective mission. We use bags to collect waste and carefully remove ghost nets, ensuring no damage is done to marine life. The visuals are scary, but they are a reality check that the world urgently needs before we severely alter our marine life. Dugongs, turtles, whale sharks, and many other species are endangered and it is our responsibility to make things right. Safety during cleanup dives is crucial, especially when we include younger divers. We love including children, provided they are certified and trained divers. My favorite diving partner, my daughter, started when she was just five-years-old so age really isn’t the limit here. I say, the younger the better since children are the future decision-makers and are quicker and smarter learners, just like my daughter Thaaragai!

Thaaragai Arathana, the daughter

At nine-months-old, I was already floating in the water, and at three, I was a swimmer. My father made sure that I had all the skills I needed to explore the oceans and their stories. I remember accompanying him to all his diving lessons and waiting on the boat while he pulled out endless amounts of plastic from the water. Realizing that water bodies that looked so serene from above had such hurt and disturbance in them made me want to take action. Starting with shore cleanups, I slowly transitioned to certified scuba diving and have never looked back. At almost 10-years-old now, I've done 45 dives and more than 70 community talks. We've collected over 1200 kg of plastic waste and ghost nets.

One surprising dive post-COVID lockdown revealed no plastic in the ocean, which was a moment of hope and nature healing itself. But now that we are back to normal, things look bad again. I've rescued turtles trapped in floating nets with their flippers cruelly cut. It breaks my heart to see these creatures suffer because of us humans.

People don’t realize that all creatures are interdependent and harming other lives eventually affects ours too. We all need to support each other to find a co-existing ecological balance. Being an environmental activist and scuba diver is a thrill. I love educating people about their role in changing the environment and preserving our oceans. Managing school and environmental activities is a challenge, but my school supports me to do better and helps me prioritize my education more efficiently. My dad inspires me every day to pursue my passion. I am committed to inspiring more children my age to join me and my father in this mission to protect our ecosystem. To support our dream, I performed a 19 km ocean swim (6 hours, 14 minutes) nonstop in the theme of ‘Save the Ocean’. I want to show kids my age that we are never too young to take action.

What does the iconic father-daughter duo aim to achieve?

Our bond is unbreakable, both underwater and above. People tease us when we clean the streets, but we don't care. Our family and a growing community of young environmentalists stand by us. About 40 kids have joined us on this mission and we are on our way to encourage more children to come forward and join us.

Our impact on the local marine ecosystem is gradual but significant. With every cleanup, we believe change is possible. One person, one step at a time. Proper disposal of collected plastic involves informing corporations, but the ultimate solution requires global efforts to stop manufacturing plastic and implement effective cleanup strategies. Our future goals include inspiring kids to join the cause through community talks and working on projects to protect endangered marine species. Recognition or awards may come, but our motivation lies in the small rewards, like a piece of chocolate, encouraging our continued efforts, or the best, joining us! We believe there is always something you can do to change. It might not be diving in the ocean to clean it, but simply cutting down on your plastic usage. Every little action counts. Ultimately, we strive for a day when the oceans are cleaner and marine life thrives in a plastic-free environment.

Exclusively written for Giving for Good Foundation by Bhairavi Hiremath