The International Diving Schools Association (IDSA), France, has entered India by recognizing and awarding full commercial diving membership to Yak Diving Academy (YDA), Navi Mumbai. IDSA is the apex organisation that sets standards for commercial diving education worldwide. Yak is the first institution in Asia to receive recognition for conducting commercial diving. The training campus provides state-of-the-art facilities to impart quality training and follows curriculum of IDSA. YDA was honoured and awarded the full membership by Mr. Leo Lagarde, chairman of IDSA 3 June 2010 post intensive audit by his team over a few days. The chairman IDSA commended the world class facilities and experienced faculty expressing confidence of big future growth for the academy.
This facility will provide very affordable diving career to the budding youth who, hitherto, have been spending exorbitant and unaffordable amounts to undergo such courses overseas. In addition the language has been an equally big barrier in understanding the classroom instructions and the candidates have found placements back home difficult due to lack of any assistance once they return home. YDA will provide assistance for bank loans and provide easy instalments fee payments which will be affordable vis-a-vis overseas training. To facilitate placements wherein YDA provides assistance, a substantial number of trained divers are being absorbed by another company of Yak Group called Yak Diving Services (YDS). Today YDS is fully equipped to undertake all underwater jobs for shipping, dams, rivers, ports etc and includes underwater welding cutting, videography etc. Our trained divers under YDS have already executed some prestigious projects of salvaging, underwater cutting, repairs and videography in Gujrat and Maharashtra.
YDA is working towards achieving diving upto 50 mts with Bell Diving under IDSA and achieve International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), UK equivalency. YDA is also pursuing to achieve IMCA accreditation soon.
In addition to IDSA, the various institutions with which Yak is associated with for the purpose of accreditation include GlobalMet (Global Marine Education and Training Association). It is also a member of IMCA (International Marine Contractors Association) and an approved Distance Education Center of Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport, UK. Yak has also been excelling over the years in the field of Maritime Training & Education for officers and ratings. Very recently Yak was honoured with the award of “Most Efficient Institution” by Board of Seafarers Trust / DG Shipping.
Mr. D. S. Yadav, the Chairman of Yak Group, has 27 years of experience in Indian Navy, and 10 years of sailing experience in international shipping Companies on oil tankers as chief engineer. Yak was founded in 1999 by Mr. D.S Yadav with a vision to provide quality education and training, keeping in mind the global changing education requirements and need of society. The vision is also to encourage masses across the country for education to be able to contribute constructively to society and nation. Special emphasis is laid to bring forward the backward and poor classes.
The diving division is headed by Cdr. Vinod Lok who has over 20 years of experience as diving specialist in the Indian Navy. His professional qualifications include Deep Diving course at Indian Navy, Deep Diving & Salvage Course United States Navy, and Saturation Diving Course INPP France. His professional experience profile encompasses wide exposure to entire gamut of diving activities namely hands on experience of over 10 years as a diving supervisor in planning and execution of diving & salvage operations, diving instructor, project manager for Indian Navy's acquisition of first Dynamic Positioning enabled Dive Support Vessel with 300 m Saturation Diving System. As a senior diving officer, he has held appointment as Command Diving Officer Western Naval Command for over 4 years.
