Mumbai: At 21, Adyut Dobhal has rewritten India’s freediving record after completing a 51-metre dive in Cebu, Philippines, on August 2, an achievement that left him caught between disbelief and relief after a month of practice.
Dobhal completed the dive in about two minutes and 40 seconds, holding his breath throughout. He said staying calm was crucial as the pressure at such depths compresses the lungs and can lead to injury if a diver loses composure.
“Breathing is the most natural function one has. And suppressing that function to be able to hold your breath for that long, you have to be very calm,” Dobhal said.
The record came in a discipline he called “free motion”, in which a rope runs from the surface to the target depth and the diver pulls on it to descend. The attempt was made harder by strong currents, which Dobhal said added around 40 seconds to his dive.
Despite his preparation, nerves surfaced as he began the descent. Dobhal said he usually tries to keep his mind clear underwater, a practice that helps freedivers conserve oxygen and remain composed. After returning to the surface, he first had to complete the required safety protocol.
Only then did the magnitude of the achievement begin to register.
“I couldn’t believe I broke the national record for at least five to 10 minutes. And then there was this relief all over me that I’ve finally done it,” he said.
Dobhal trains his mind through techniques such as mindfulness, attention deconcentration and isolating sounds. The objective, he said, is to calm the brain and avoid using extra oxygen.
His 51-metre effort broke the joint record held by Bux Khurana and Shubham Pandey, two freedivers Dobhal described as “legends in the community”. He had met Bux a day or two before the record attempt and recalled him as highly supportive.
The achievement is also the first national record since the launch of AIDA India. Dobhal believes performances by Indians on foreign stages can help more people in the country discover freediving.
With India set to hold its first freediving competition in November, he sees further reason for optimism. “It can be the start to something very beautiful right here,” he said.
A student, boxer and mountaineer, Dobhal combines physical training with meditation. His next target is deeper still.
“For now, I think I would like to train myself more, maybe cross 60, maybe 70,” he said.
For Dobhal, the record is only a beginning.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
