The Full Story

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MORE ABOUT THE GRANT

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a true example of 'paradise.' Sparsely populated beaches with clear turquoise water and uninterrupted peace make it one of the most preferred tourist attractions. Apart from the paradisiacal beaches and premium vacation experience, Andaman and Nicobar islands are world-famous for their water sports, especially scuba diving. 

I visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2021 as a part of my community project. I intended to stay at these islands and interact with the local residents to learn more about the challenges and lifestyle changes that have happened in the last few years. In close interaction with one of the local tribes of these islands, I decoded that environmental changes have had some severe impact on the lives of these local residents. During these interactions, I was suggested to take a deep dive into the oceans and witness the counter effects of climate change with my own eyes. I initially shrugged the advice away, but I decided to take a plunge and go scuba diving later on. Under the guidance of a professional trainer, I went underwater to witness the beauty of the surreal marine ecosystem. However, to my surprise, the reality was quite contrasting. When I last dived for the first time in 2010, I remember the experience was magical because colorful fishes and beautiful coral reefs surrounded me. But this time, I felt that the diversity of these marine creatures like fishes and dolphins had reduced a lot. Apart from that, most of the coral reef had agonizingly become white! The coral reefs were lying around as broken colonies. I also figured out that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands water, known for its crystal clear transparency, had somehow lost their essence. It was only now; I realized that the amount of change a decade has brought is enormous. 

Further discussion with the local communities about the current situation of Andaman made me realize that global climate change has affected these islands severely. In a decade, the increased temperature and water levels have disturbed the cycle of nature. Frequent rainfall in some islands with wet tropics has led to severe issues like tsunamis and cyclones. There have been catastrophic events of mass coral bleaching in these islands because of the growing carbon dioxide and algae in water bodies. Along with the marine ecosystems, the human habitat has suffered a lot due to serious climate disturbances. 

A report which The IPCC released notes that, since 2006 and continuing further the water in these water bodies has been rising at 2.5 times higher than the expected growth. For a community that resides on the coastline of beaches, this is a devastating report. Several other studies have applied mathematical models to predict that by 2050, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will primarily become uninhabitable because of rising sea levels. 

One thing is certain that the effect of climate change is severe and irreversible. But this experience in Andaman and Nicobar Islands has made me worried about the near future. For fragile ecosystems like these, where most of the population is related to the natural environment, worsening climatic conditions have become a matter of grave concern. 

And hence, the need of the hour is to act on controlling the damage, right now! This experience has made me understand that if we do not get on our toes and work to preserve nature, nature will bring catastrophic consequences for humankind shortly. For delicate ecosystems like Andaman and Nicobar Islands, strict protocols have to be designed and implemented. Tourist activities have to be monitored strictly to have no external pressure on the limited natural resources. Government policies regarding conserving marine biodiversity have to be implemented and followed religiously.  

To encourage more and more people to understand the critical importance of preserving the marine environment, CORAL WARRIORS  has decided to initiate a grant of worth INR 70,000 for CITIZENS OF INDIA  who actively want to be a part of the climate conservation activities. This grant will be provided to those who wish to learn how to scuba dive and firsthand understand the severity of coral reef damage. At the end of the diving course, the grant awardee is expected to work on a detailed report/ global impact project which explains the current situation of coral reefs in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 

ELIGIBILITY

1. Applicant should be an active citizen of India 

2. Applicant should have a keen interest in diving and climate change

3. Applicants SHOULD NOT have undertaken a certification diving course previously. The grant is only awarded for the basic open water diving course. The applicant can choose to opt for SSI or PADI certification based on their interest

4. Applicant should be able to showcase both NEED and DESIRE to do the program

5. Applicants are not allowed to use the funds for any non diving course related activities. In case funds are awarded, applicant is expected to only spend it on airlines, food, stay and diving program

6. If the total cost of the diving program, including stay and other expenses, exceeds INR 70,000, applicants are expected to bear the remaining cost on their personal expenses. 

7. The applicant cannot be on the team or Board of Directors of Coral Warriors. Anyone who is a part of the team or Board of Members including the Founder are NOT ELIGIBLE to apply 

8. The Grant does not discriminate between applicants based on gender, religion, caste, education levels or any other factor. Projects are chosen solely based on merit and commitment towards climate change initiatives. 

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TO APPLY 

Email us the following at vidhiabubna@gmail.com

1. Your full name, State of Residence, Contact details, Email Address

2. ID proof

3. Answer the following questions and share your responses:

• Why are you passionate about climate change (200 words)

• Has climate change impacted you first hand? How? (200 words)

• Why do you think you deserve to be awarded the grant? (200 words)

• What do you think makes your application different from other applicants (200 words)

• Why do you NEED to be awarded the grant and how will it help you in the long run?

•  Detailed 800 word essay about yourself and previous work you have done in the climate change sector. 

• 1000 word proposal about how the diving course will help you and what you intend to do with it in the future 

A detailed interview process will be conducted by the team in case you are shortlisted.

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*Failure to send any of these in the same application email will result in the application not being considered

*Do not send spam or follow up emails

*Decision to select the candidate is independent and final by the CORAL WARRIORS team

*In case any information shared in the application is found to be untrue, the applicant will be barred from applying to the CORAL WARRIORS  grants in all the future years. 

*Any attempt to reach out to members of the coral warriors team on social media or through phone regarding the results will result in disqualification.

*CORAL WARRIORS will share updates via email.

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