CHENNAI: A dive into deep underwater, just you and the ocean, and imagine there is no breathing support. For most of us, it’s a distant thrill — a place we might go in our dreams or vacation fantasies. But for Archana Sankaranarayanan, freediving has transformed from an unexpected passion into a career and a way of life.
Just this month, Archana, a former corporate lawyer from Chennai, set a new national record in freediving at the nOxyCup 2024 in Hungary. Competing in the Dynamic No Fins (DNF) category, she swam an impressive 37 metres underwater, a remarkable feat requiring immense physical and mental endurance. What’s even more impressive? She achieved this despite setbacks from an illness that interrupted her preparation.
So how does someone go from working at one of India’s top law firms to setting records in a sport that demands absolute focus and calm? Archana’s journey begins in 2019, on a holiday to the Andaman Islands. Like many others seeking an escape, she booked a Discover Scuba experience, the kind that gives a brief taste of underwater exploration. “I absolutely loved it, but I didn’t like the idea of someone holding me while diving,” she shared. This initial experience left her with a spark, a desire to return to the ocean and experience it on her own terms.
Not long after, Archana made her way back to the Andamans, this time ready to immerse herself fully. She spent a week training and earned her Open Water Diver’s licence, a small but important step toward a life in the water. That week turned out to be more than just diving practice — it was a turning point.
“I felt so peaceful in a place with no network, pretty much cut off from the stressful world where it’s just you and Mother Ocean,” she said. Each dive brought a sense of calm that her busy work life in law couldn’t match. By the time she returned to her desk in the city, she knew her life needed a change. “I didn’t know what I was about to do, but I didn’t want to have a desk job for the rest of my life.”
Archana’s passion took her back to the Andamans again and again. She became a rescue diver, then trained as a dive master under her instructor, Gaurav Dwivedi, or ‘Gogo’. But her journey took an unexpected turn when she came across freediving.
Watching videos of Indian freediver Shubham Pandey, gliding underwater on a single breath without any oxygen support, she was captivated. “I was immediately drawn to this sport,” she said. That same year, Archana headed to Bali to train in freediving with Shubham and later with Apnea Bali, one of the leading freediving schools in Asia.
The shift from scuba to freediving wasn’t easy. Freediving is a whole different world, relying on one’s own breath and mind to remain calm and composed. Yet Archana was undeterred.
She faced intense training, with challenges that extended beyond breath control and endurance. Just one month before her nOxyCup competition, she fell sick and had to halt her training. But even with these challenges, Archana arrived in Hungary ready to compete. “When the countdown happened, I took my final breath and started; I felt so relaxed and calm underwater. I could have pushed for more, but this is actually my best DNF dive so far,” she reflected.
Breaking her target of 25 metres by reaching 37 metres, Archana had achieved her personal best — during competition, no less. “It feels great because I started freediving only last year… but we need to start somewhere,” she said. Her record has not only established her presence in the Indian freediving community but has paved the way for other aspiring Indian divers, especially women.
Looking ahead, Archana has plans to explore even deeper waters. She is determined to master the Constant Weight No Fins (CNF) discipline in open water, where divers use only their arms and legs to descend, without fins or equipment. “I’m planning to take a break this year to rest and recover, but I’ll be participating in multiple competitions next year after training for a few months,” she shared. Beyond personal goals, her mission is to inspire more Indian women to embrace freediving.
“We have a very small community with some incredible female divers but we need more women in the game!” Archana Sankaranarayanan’s journey from corporate law to freediving is a story of courage, resilience, and an unshakeable sense of adventure.
She’s proof that sometimes, a deep breath and a leap of faith can take you to places you never dreamed possible. With her sights set on future competitions and mastering new techniques, Archana continues to make waves — not just in the water but in Indian sports, too. Her journey is only beginning, but her story is already inspiring — a reminder that we can reinvent ourselves and pursue passions that bring us closer to who we are. Sometimes, we find that calling not in the rush of everyday life, but in the stillness of the deep.