Freediving workshops in Hyderabad introduce the art of diving on a single breath

Join Shubham Pandey's freediving workshops in Hyderabad to master breath control and relaxation techniques for underwater exploration.

“You have to be in the moment and become one with your surroundings, in this case, the water,” says Shubham Pandey. The Lonavala-based freediver will conduct workshops in Hyderabad from March 13 to 15. Beginners will learn the theory and practise breath-hold techniques, along with relaxation, kicking and body posture in a confined water space.

Freediving, still an emerging sport in India, traces its roots to the single-breath technique once used by divers hunting for food or pearls. “The Ama — Japanese sea women — used this method to gather seafood and pearls,” Shubham explains. Similar practices existed in other parts of the world.

Unlike scuba diving, which relies on oxygen tanks, freediving requires divers to hold their breath. It demands calm, focus and gradual training of lung capacity to stay underwater on a single breath.

Shubham Pandey | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Shubham began his career 11 years ago as a commercial diver for industries, inspecting pipelines, carrying out underwater welding and handling other maintenance work. He later explored recreational scuba diving and discovered freediving while in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A certified instructor with Professional Association of Diving Instructors and Scuba Schools International, he now conducts freediving workshops in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kerala and Goa, as well as in Indonesia, Mauritius, the Maldives, the Philippines and Thailand.

“My father was in the Navy. I’ve seen divers since childhood and always aspired to be one,” he recalls. Though he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in electronics, the idea of a regular desk job did not appeal to him. “The only option I knew then was commercial diving.” Later, while working as a dive master in the Andamans, he discovered freediving — a shift that opened new possibilities.