Indian Celebrities Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal Team Up with PADI

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal Join Forces with PADI to Advocate for Ocean Conservation

PADI® proudly welcomes a dynamic pair of PADI AmbassaDivers™: the critically acclaimed Indian actress Sonakshi Sinha and her diving partner, the accomplished actor and entrepreneur Zaheer Iqbal. Sinha, who earned the title of PETA India’s Person of the Year in 2022 for her active stance on animal ethics, is also a recurring name on Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list and has featured in numerous hit films. Alongside Iqbal, who shares her passion for diving as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, Sinha is devoted to motivating others to embark on underwater adventures while championing ocean conservation efforts.

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A PADI AmbassaDiver is someone passionate about using their force for good to encourage others to protect our shared blue planet,” says Julie Andersen, Sr. Director of Brand for PADI Worldwide. “We could not have found more respected and authentic partners as Ms. Sinha and Mr. Iqbal, both long-time ocean lovers dedicated to advancing our shared mission of creating positive ocean change. They are shining examples of protecting what you love and inspiring others to do the same.

Sinha’s love of water and snorkeling propelled her to earn her PADI Open Water Diver certification three years ago. The famous Hindi film actress, self-proclaimed environmentalist, and entrepreneur now unwinds by escaping into nature and disconnecting from her phone. She holds countless film nominations and awards for her work in front of the camera, is an animal lover who advocates for animal adoption and recently launched her own beauty brand Soezi™ press-on nails. During her downtime, she loves to scuba dive in Asia, the Seychelles, the Red Sea, the Great Barrier Reef, and locally in India’s Andaman Islands – where she recently earned her PADI Advanced Open Water certification with her partner Iqbal.

It was love at first dive, and my love for the ocean has only deepened with time,” says Sinha. “Ever since my first dive, I’ve been on a quest to become a better diver and explore more depths. It’s amazing becoming a PADI AmbassaDiver because it’s for something I love so deeply.  I will do my best to encourage more people to dive and get to know the ocean better!

Sinha and Iqbal both hold a deep affection for the ocean’s wonders. Away from the limelight and the lively dance sequences of Bollywood, Iqbal revels in the joys of travel and adventure with his loved ones, both on land and under the sea. Scuba diving ranks high among his cherished leisure activities, offering him an escape to explore the tranquil underwater world.

Diving into great depths is an exhilarating experience, – says Iqbal.

It unveils a world of beauty, mystery, and a sense of incredible calmness – as well as a realization of what ‘vast’ truly means. It’s peaceful observing nature below the surface and I am honored to become a PADI AmbassaDiver. I now have the opportunity to dive into a realm of endless wonder and I hope that more people take the opportunity to dive and learn more about the beautiful world beneath the surface.

With a combined 30 million social media followers and both having recently starred in the Hindi comedy film DoubleXL, this Indian powerhouse couple joins an elite group of other advocates from around the globe who are working with PADI to encourage others to experience the beautiful world underwater as scuba divers and join them in helping to create positive ocean change for our shared blue planet. With their shared passion for scuba diving around the world, Sinha and Iqbal will continue to share their love for the ocean with fans, showcasing how scuba diving is an important part of their life that allows them to connect and return to nature to reset.

PADI created the AmbassaDiver programme to support extraordinary divers who dedicate their lives to illuminating the path that leads from curiosity, exploration, and discovery to understanding, stewardship and action. Ms. Sinha and Mr. Iqbal play a very important role in ocean conservation, lighting the way for others to become divers themselves and mobilising communities worldwide to seek adventure and save the ocean with them,” continues Andersen.

Follow Sinha and Iqbal’s dive adventures, projects and hands-on conservation efforts with PADI on their Instagram channels. To learn more about Sinha, Iqbal and the rest of the PADI AmbassaDiver team visit.