Announcement
Archana Sankaranarayanan, the founder of the Freediving Association of India, has been selected to officiate as an Assistant Judge at the International Depth Competition scheduled for 1 – 6 October 2026. This appointment makes her the first Indian AIDA judge to judge an international depth freediving competition.
Organizational Milestones 2026
In 2026, Sankaranarayanan established the Freediving Association of India and, in March of the same year, secured AIDA National Observer status, positioning the body as an observing member of AIDA International. Later that year she assembled India’s first official national freediving team to compete at the World Apnea Pool Championship in Budapest, where she also served as an Assistant Judge, marking the first time an Indian has held such a role at a world championship. In November, she will organise India’s inaugural AIDA‑sanctioned competition, “Namaste World Apnea India – Inaugural Edition,” in Bengaluru. Recognising the financial barriers faced by athletes travelling abroad, she introduced a Competition Scholarship that covers 100 % of registration fees for selected athletes with genuine financial constraints.
Athlete Achievements
Two years after beginning her competitive freediving journey in Panglao, Philippines, Sankaranarayanan entered the same competition in 2024 as a first‑time athlete and broke her first two national records. In August 2026, Adyut Dobhal surpassed the two‑year‑old 50 m FIM national record by reaching 51 m in the Philippines. Six days later, Mukesh Prakash matched the 51 m mark in Indonesia, and on 19 August 2026 Bux Khurana extended the record to 52 m. Mukesh Prakash subsequently approached Sankaranarayanan for coaching ahead of his competition, noting his familiarity with the venue where she set a 40 m national record in 2025.
Quote
Sankaranarayanan stated, “This is only the beginning. I want to take Indian freediving to depths we haven't even imagined of, and build a future where an Indian freediver never has to wonder if they belong. I want them to know that the path is being built for them, and that there is no limit to how deep, or how far, Indian freedivers can go.”