Making her way through deep waters

KOCHI: Growing up in Valiyathura, a small fishing village on the outskirts of the capital city, Aneesha Ani Benedict, the eldest daughter of fisherman Ani Benedict and homemaker Reena, never dreamt of going on underwater adventures, let alone making a career out of it. Fast forward to the present, she is one of the first marine biologists from her community and a certified and advanced scuba diver. She is now working towards exploring the deep waters and raising awareness about ocean conservation.

“There was a time when the people in my community never used to let their daughters touch the equipment on the country boats or even sit on them when they were menstruating. But, a lot of that has changed now, and I am happy that I could be part of this progress,” says Aneesha, who is currently working as a data analyst at the Kerala State Biodiversity Board.

Her ambition was to become a teacher, but her life took a detour after being introduced to Friends of Marine Life (FML), a voluntary organisation in Valiyathura that focuses on research and conservation of marine ecosystems. “Owing to my interest in teaching, I thought of volunteering as a biology teacher at the Sister Rose Memorial Education Resource Centre (SRMERC),”says Aneesha, who has been working with FML for 10 years now. 

Though there were financial constraints, Aneesha was successful in pursuing a post-graduate degree in marine biology and ocean studies from the Andaman and Nicobar campus of Pondicherry University. She learnt scuba diving and earned a certification from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), for an advanced open water diving licence.

Her first diving trip is one of Aneesha’s special memories. “I was just 35 kgs and my instructor wondered how I would carry the heavy cylinder. But I came a long way since then,” she quips. Wreck diving, recreational diving where the wreckage of ships, aircraft and other artificial structures are explored, excites Aneesha more. 

She even explored the wreckage of ships off the Andaman coast once. “I can never forget it. I went 43 metres below sea level, into a submerged British vessel.  The wreckage looked like a giant creature. I have also explored submerged ships in Vizhinjam and Kovalam,” says Aneesha who plans to study maritime archaeology. The marine biologist is also conducting ocean literacy programmes online to create awareness on ocean conservation among fishermen and the public.

OCEAN CONSERVATION
The theme for World Oceans Day this year is ‘The Oceans: Life and Livelihoods’, one of the key aspects of Aneeshas work with Robert Panipilla, the president of FML. “Over the years, we have been documenting the knowledge with the traditional fishermen, their fishing practices and livelihood. We have also been getting data on the seabed and marine ecosystems as part of marine biodiversity conservation. Regular diving trips are being conducted in areas like Kovalam, Vizhinjam harbour, Adimalathura and Thumba to document information on the seabed at different locations,” she says. However, lockdown restrictions have slowed down the activities now.