The Andaman Sea in India hosts extensively diverse life forms, from pocket-sized seahorses to giant dugongs. And exploring this diverse marine ecosystem mandates some exceptional diving skills, especially if you are diving for conservation and not recreational purposes.
While popular movies and documentaries have inspired most of us to explore marine life through scuba diving expeditions, it is unlikely that many would end up making a career out of it. However, ReefWatch Marine Conservation's executive director, Nayantara Jain, is unique!
What started as a family trip to Havelock Island in the Andamans inspired Nayantara to take up scuba diving as a career. She not only became a scuba diving instructor but went a step further to pursue marine biology. She is now involved in conserving Andaman's coral habitats— one of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth— as part of her job.
On this Women's Day, we spoke to Nayantara to understand what it means to be a female marine conservationist and a Scuba Instructor.
What inspired you to transition from a scuba diving instructor to a marine biologist?
Nayantara Jain
(Sumer Verma)In 2010, I witnessed a massive coral bleaching event during one of my dives. And in a matter of just a few weeks, entire stretches of coral reef— that I would dive or snorkel on almost every day— bleached and perished. This was a turning point for me. Although I knew it would take me another two years before I could get into a Master's program for Marine Biology, it was a definitive goal that I wanted to spend the rest of my professional life conserving these habitats.
How can scuba diving contribute to wildlife conservation? Are there any such citizen science programmes for enthusiasts?
Nayantara Jain
(Sumer Verma)Once you are a competent and experienced scuba diver, you can contribute to conservation in several ways. You can participate in monitoring efforts worldwide, share images of marine life with conservation organisations as well as amongst your peers to raise awareness, and volunteer with coral restoration projects.
Could you tell us more about the reef restoration project?
Re(ef)Generate— our coral reef restoration project in the Andaman Islands— actively seeks to restore damaged coral reefs. We typically use mineral accretion technology to pass safe, low voltage electrical currents through seawater, dissolve minerals, and form calcium carbonate. Coral larvae adhere to the calcium carbonate and proliferate.
We also rescue pieces of coral that have broken off from the reef and fallen on the sand by attaching them to stable metal frames next to the natural reef and supplying those frames with a small electricity voltage via floating solar panels overhead. This helps the coral fragments grow faster and extends the natural reef habitat.
Are/were there any particular challenges you faced as a woman working in this field?
Nayantara Jain
(Sumer Verma)I have been lucky enough to have a very supportive family that has never stopped me from living or working in remote places and given me the opportunities, responsibilities, and freedom they have given to my brother. I have also had fantastic colleagues and an ecosystem where I felt safe. So in that sense, I have not faced any challenges unique to women in the field, but I do recognise that this is not the norm and that I have been uniquely fortunate in this regard.
How can one become a coral reef guardian?
By donating Rs. 35,000/- you support the maintenance and monitoring of a small section of our restored reef for one year. Every year in June, we open up our reef guardian spots to the public. You can follow our social media page @reefwatchindia to see updates on when these spots open up.
What message would you like to give to all those women who wish to pursue a career in wildlife conservation or marine biology?
Marine biology and conservation are relatively nascent careers; this gives you an excellent opportunity to chart your own route wherein you need not fit into a preconceived notion of what a professional in this field looks, talks, or acts like. You will be rewarded richly as long as you bring rigour and passion to this work.
This article is an expert interview, and the interviewee's opinions do not necessarily represent the official views of The Weather Channel. Few answers have been partly edited for length and clarity.
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