Lieutenant Governor's Commendation Award

On 15 August 2026, I received the Lieutenant Governor's Commendation Award during the Independence Day celebrations at Netaji Stadium, Sri Vijaya Puram, conferred by the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Admiral D. K. Joshi (Retd.).

The award followed my involvement in the Guinness World Record projects and wider diving and marine-tourism initiatives in the islands. The official citation specifically acknowledges my contribution to the creation of the Guinness World Record for the tallest human stack underwater.

Official citation

The Hindi text of the certificate reads:

उप राज्यपाल का यह प्रशस्ति पत्र स्वतंत्रता दिवस, 2026 के अवसर पर श्री हार्दिक नितिन दातनवाला, PADI पाठ्यक्रम निदेशक एवं मुख्य संचालन अधिकारी, डाइव अण्डमान इण्डिया प्राइवेट लिमिटेड को समुद्र के भीतर सबसे बड़ा मानव स्टैक के गिनीज़ वर्ल्ड रिकॉर्ड बनाने में किए गए उनके बहुमूल्य योगदान को अंगीकार करते हुए प्रदान किया जाता है।

English translation:

This Commendation Certificate of the Lieutenant Governor is presented on the occasion of Independence Day 2026 to Shri Hardik Nitin Datanwala, PADI Course Director and Chief Operations Officer, Dive Andaman India Private Limited, acknowledging his invaluable contribution to the creation of the Guinness World Record for the tallest human stack underwater.

The certificate is signed by Admiral D. K. Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM (Retd.), Lieutenant Governor and Vice-Chairman, Islands Development Agency, and dated 15 August 2026 at Sri Vijaya Puram.

What sits behind the award

The record itself was a highly visible outcome. The work behind it involved dive teams, underwater coordination, safety planning, equipment, logistics, documentation and the wider effort to use major diving initiatives to build awareness of the Andaman Islands as an international dive destination.

For me, the significance of the Commendation is that it places that contribution on formal public record.

Evidence

Official Commendation Certificate.

Commendation medal.

Independence Day presentation photographs.

Related Guinness World Records certificates and medals.