Death by accidental drowning in India is now considered a national epidemic of massive proportions.

Each year, on average more than 100,000 people die in India from accidental drowning, either in public pools or open water.  It is estimated India accounts for 23 per cent of all global drowning deaths.

As more than 80 per cent of those who die are children under 18, the urgent need for water safety awareness and swimming skills training in India becomes starkly apparent.

A tripartite partnership between the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) and Rashtriya Life Saving Society India (RLSSI), is achieving remarkable results through teaching water safety, swimming and life saving skills to children and adults.

In one of the world’s most rapidly developing economies, the RLSSI Swim-N-Survive program is teaching poor children and young people essential skills as well as providing them with employment opportunities as lifeguards and swimming instructors.

‘In India sport is something you indulge in when you are happy and well fed,’ Rear Admiral Purushottam D. Sharma, founder/president of RLSSI, told a recent gathering at the AIS.

Rear Admiral Sharma, Mrs Kavita Sharma (RLSSI vice-president administration and finance) and Mr Ankit Wagh, RLSSI general manager operations, visited the AIS in Canberra after attending the Rescue 2012 Lifesaving World Championships in Adelaide last month.

‘Thanks to the support of the ASC’s Australian Sports Outreach Program (ASOP) since 2010 our Swim-N-Survive program has trained 7,240 children between the ages of five and 14 and 3,735 lifesavers and lifeguards,’ Rear Admiral Sharma said.

As an indication of the program’s success, the rate of drowning dropped to zero in 2010-2011 in public pools in Pune (southeast of Mumbai) where RLSSI is based.

‘We are saving lives in so many ways, not just in the water, by creating employment and income opportunities for poor kids from slums and families who otherwise would have no other options in life.’

Rear Admiral Sharma said the participation of girls in the program, almost 50 percent, was a remarkable achievement given the social pressures on young girls in India.

‘Under our ‘Earn While You Learn Program’, 18 boys and five girls have been given scholarships and are now employed as trainers with RLSSI,’ Rear Admiral Sharma proudly stated.

The RLSSI receives technical support from Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) through the ASC’s Australian Sports Outreach Program (ASOP).

‘Surf Life Saving Australia has been like a big brother to us,’ said Ankit Wagh.

‘Our partnership and exchange programs with SLSA have been mutually beneficial. The strength of the relationship is a shared commitment to the vision of saving lives. In the process we’ve also forged deep friendships,’ Mr Wagh said.

With a plan for continued expansion in India, ASC’s partnership with RLSSI is a strong example of how well planned support and investment in sport can achieve widespread development outcomes.