The appointment marks a full‑circle moment for Sankaranarayanan, who first entered the same competition as an athlete in Panglao, Philippines, in 2024 and broke two national records during that debut.
In 2026 she launched the Freediving Association of India and secured AIDA National Observer status in March, laying the institutional groundwork for the sport’s growth across the country.
Months later she assembled and selected India’s inaugural national freediving team for the World Apnea Pool Championship in Budapest, where she also served as an assistant judge – the first Indian AIDA judge to officiate at a Freediving World Championship.
In November, Sankaranarayanan will organise India’s first AIDA‑sanctioned freediving competition, the ‘Namaste World Apnea India – Inaugural Edition’, in Bengaluru, and has introduced a Competition Scholarship that covers 100 % of registration fees for athletes facing genuine financial constraints.
The sport’s domestic progress is reflected in recent record‑breaking dives: in August, Adyut Dobhal extended the 50 m FIM national record to 51 m in the Philippines; Mukesh Prakash matched the mark six days later in Indonesia; and Bux Khurana pushed the record to 52 m on Aug. 19.
Sankaranarayanan also coached Prakash ahead of his competition, noting that the experience briefly returned her to a competitor’s mindset despite her focus on development work.
"This is only the beginning," Sankaranarayanan said, adding that she aims to take Indian freediving to depths previously unimagined and ensure future athletes feel they belong on the world stage.