Formed in August 1998 with the help of RLSS (Commonwealth) Mr John Long, Secretary General and late Mrs Heather MacGowan, President RLSS (Aus) & Director Sports Development Govt. Australia. [Left] Commenced giving demonstrations in Lifesaving and First aid to promote public awareness in lifesaving, first aid and road safety.

Conducted 5 Lifesaver/Lifeguard Training Courses from May to September 2000.

Established Andhra Pradesh State Branch / Vishakhapatnam District Branch of RLSS (I) at the Aquatic Sports Complex, Vishkhapatnam in September. District President Sanjeevan Nair.

***Year 2001

Conducted 10 Lifesaver/Lifeguard Training Courses from May to September 2000.

Appointed Honourary Consultants to PMC for safer swimming in Pune. Leased & took over PMC Swimming Pool at Wanawadi and Established RLSS (I) SLTC [Swimming and Lifesaving Training Centre], Wanawadi, in January.

Inspected Pools in Pune with Lifesaving Demonstrations to pool managers and staff. Also gave Lifesaving Demonstrations to pool managers and staff at every pool. This was a reaction to frequent drowning accidents at pools in Pune.

Attended the 9th Quinquinnial Commonwealth Conference at Eastbourne, UK. Attended reception hosted by the Queen and the Royal Family for RLSS (Commonwealth).

Visited GOA with a proposal to give a push to Lifesaving on the beaches, which suffered 250 to 300 deaths by drowning each year. Gave Lifesaving Demonstrations to five star hotels and discussed the possibility of adopting nearby beaches and promoting safer swimming there.

Approved as a Trust by the Charity Commissioner, Pune in July 2001.

Held the first Board Meeting of Trustees in Aug 2001.

Introduced free swimming/training for 32 Challenged Children.

Conducted Lifesaving/First Aid Training at CTR Factory at Pune. Conducted Lifesaving/First Aid Seminars at Symbiosis College. Conducted Lifesaving/First Aid Seminars at DRDO Centre, Dighi Hills, Pune in November & December.

***YEAR 2002

Conducted 12 Lifesaver/Lifeguard Training Courses during the year.

Established Pune District Branch of RLSS(I) with SLTC at Balgandharva Swimming Pool in January. District President - Mrs Sandhya Kotbagi.

Set up the 1st RLSS (I) First Aid Post on Nagar Road and trained 30 volunteers from the area in first aid as part of Community Education Programme.

Hosted UK Team of Lifesavers and Paramedics in Pune and tied up with Ruby Hall Clinic Trauma Centre for pre Hospital Care by setting up of First Aid Posts and Community Education Centres to create a bank of first responders in First Aid for highways and city centres.

Attended the Asia Pacific Regional Conference of International Life Saving Federation at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in September.

Conducted first ever long distance Endurance Swimming Championship at Khadakwasla Lake in November for promoting lifesaving.

Leased Kondhwa Swimming Pool in December and established 2nd SLTC.

***YEAR 2003

Conducted 18 Lifesaver/Lifeguard Training Courses during the year.

Sent six members to attend an advanced course in lifesaving and first aid at Perth, Australia in January.

Hosted the Asia Pacific Regional Meeting [APRM 03] of the International Life Saving Federation at GOA. 60 delegates and athletes from friendly foreign countries attended. Held Friendship MINI Lifesaving Games in September

***YEAR 2004

Conducted 31 Lifesaver/Lifeguard Training Courses during the year.

Commenced Community Education Programme with the conduct of the First Aiders/Lifesaver/Lifeguard training at Ruby Hall Clinic and SLTC Wanawadi.

Conducted first ever 'Lifesaving Mela' along with the annual flower-show at Sambhaji Park in February.

Commissioned the 1st Beach Lifeguard Station with a 'Watchtower' and trained lifeguards to supervise Bogmallo beach at Goa on 7th of March.

Trained 100 children from PMC Schools in swimming free at Wanawadi.

Participated in Asia Pacific Regional Lifesaving Challenge Championship in Japan in June with a team of 4 girls and 4 boys. Came back with a silver medal.

Participated in the World Life Saving Championships, Rescue 2004 with a team of three boys at Viareggio on the Italian Reviera, Italy and came back with a Silver medal.

Attended the International Life Saving Federation Conference at Viareggio, Italy.

Held the '3rd National Endurance Championship' in Pune and Khadakwasla Lake.

Held the '1st National Life Saving Championship, Rescue INDIA 2004' in PUNE.

***YEAR 2005

Conducted 11 Lifesaver/Lifeguard Training Courses so far this year.

Organised Lifesaving Fair at Sambhaji Park, Pune on 11 & 12 February 2005.

SUMMARY AS ON 30th APRIL 2005

1. RLSS (I) has put up over 400 Lifesaving Demonstrations and conducted training since August 1998 in Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Satara, Nasik, Lonavla, Goa, Kochi, Karim Nagar, Vishakhapatnam, Chilka, Delhi, Dehra Dun, Gwalior, Gurgaon [Haryana], Ghaziabad, Kolkata and at Assam Valley School, Tezpur, Assam. Over 6000 First Aiders/Lifesavers/Lifeguards have been trained country wide since May 2000 in more than 80 training courses and workshops conducted at 18 districts in 11 States and. Over 15,000 Non-Swimmers including the challenged children have been trained since February 2001. SLTC Wanawadi enjoys a success rate of 90%. RLSS (I) follows the advice given by late Dr Ian Mackie, Medical Adviser to International Life Saving Federation; "If you don't want them drowned, teach them to swim!"

2. As a full member of the International Life Saving Federation [ILS] and the official branch of the Royal Life Saving Society (Commonwealth), the Society has excellent working relations with the Royal Life Saving Society (Australia) and the Surf Life Saving Australia. They have not only been helpful in our progress but are a great source of inspiration and guidance in every aspect of our activity. With their support the Society members have attended the RLSS Quinquinnial Conference, UK in May 2001, ILS Asia Pacific Regional Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in September 2002 and 'Advanced Lifesaving Course' in Perth, Australia in January 2003. With their help again, the Society was able to participate in DHL Lifesaving Challenge Championship in Japan in June and the World Lifesaving Championship, Rescue 2004 in Italy in September 2004.

3. On our part, we successfully hosted the ILS Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Goa in September 2003. Representatives from 12 countries participated in the deliberations and held Mini Friendship Games [Lifesaving Championships], where athletes from Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Iran and India were mixed to compete with each other. It was a delightful experience to see young athletes from different countries get together as a team and compete against their own.

4. What did India get from hosting the APRM 03? I believe a considerable amount. Some of our gains are: - * Exposure of RLSS (I) activities in Asia Pacific Region. * Offer of exchange visits between APR countries to further the cause of lifesaving and the Society in India. * Offer of experienced instructors from APR countries to visit India to help in the promotion of lifesaving awareness. * Appointment of India as Facilitator for South Asia. * Financial help from ILS to promote lifesaving in India and in its neighbouring countries. * Learning lifesaving championship events in a swimming pool and in the sea. Both promote better knowledge in lifesaving & life-guarding. * Highlighting the need to institute better life-guarding on Goa beaches in the light of more than 250 lives being lost in drowning accidents every year. * Getting greater commitment from RLSS (Aus) & Surf Life (Aus) to help with lifesaving and in obtaining safer and better life-guarded beaches in India.

5. Currently we have some major projects in hand, such as * Ongoing programme of community education in first aid and lifesaving. * Help establish First Aid / Lifesaving Clubs at Schools, Colleges and institutions. * Help form Lifeguard Clubs to provide Beach Safety and Beach Lifeguard Cover in GOA and in other coastal states of the country. * Establishing Road Side First Aid Kiosks to provide first aid to road accident victims.