Veteran local diver Hussain ‘Sendi’ Rasheed has been inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF).
Hailing him as a key figure in developing diving tourism in the Maldives, ISDHF recognised the active role played by Rasheed in developing regulations for the Maldives and in assisting marine environmental projects.
“The immensity of the contribution that Sendi has made towards diving in the Maldives is indisputable,” ISDHF noted.
Regarded as “the Godfather of the Maldivian diving industry”, Rasheed began diving in 1981 and became a PADI Divemaster in 1986, an Instructor in 1993, and Course Director in 2000. He was the first and up until last year the only PADI Instructor Trainer in the Maldives.
Rasheed currently focuses on teaching PADI Professionals and has been a mentor to thousands of new divers, including more than 1,600 divers he had trained in his ongoing career.
He is the former Dean of the Faculty of Marine Studies at Villa College (2006 – 2008), overseeing four departments: Marine Science, Water Sports, Scuba Diving and Marine Medicine. He is affiliated as an Executive Director of all Villa Dive Centres under his company Dive Oceanus, which operates five PADI Dive Centres across four different atolls in the Maldives, and supervising 40 diving professionals. He is a founding member of the Divers Association Maldives (DAM).
Rasheed has given numerous presentations at local schools, sharing his love and knowledge of diving and the marine environment, thus ensuring that the next generation of Maldivians understand their importance to the Maldivian economy, and also to the nation’s culture. Using regional television, he has been able to further expand his programmes, delivering them to a much wider national audience.
In recognition of his many contributions to diving and marine conservation, Rasheed has received both the Maldive Tourism Award and the Presidential Award. He was also amongst the recipients of the inaugural People’s Edition Award by Maldives Travel Awards. Each of these are major career acknowledgements, and together they recognise Rasheed’s contributions and ongoing dedication over many years.