Uma Mani’s journey as an ocean conservationist began with a simple hobby—painting. “I wanted to paint since I was a small girl, but I didn’t have the opportunity. So, when my son started going to college, I started painting,” Mani reminisces about her early days. “I showed a few of my works to the director of Alliance Francaise in the Maldives (Muriel Schmidt), where I was learning French. He asked me to paint 30 canvases on a theme and promised to exhibit my work,” she adds.
“I was living in the Maldives then, so coral reefs were everywhere. So I started painting them,” she explains. But then, she “wanted to see the coral reefs in real, and take a good look”; also a visitor at one of her exhibitions asked her how she could paint coral reefs when she had never seen them. So she eventually became a certified diver in 2015 at the age of 49 years.
Mani’s diving experiences opened her eyes to the harsh reality of ocean pollution. “I was diving in sewage for three days… because it flowed directly inside near the dive site,” she says, adding: “The water was so murky… My dive buddy became invisible because the water was so thick. It was full of debris.”
These unpleasant experiences have had a profound impact on her art and her advocacy. Since then, Mani has held numerous exhibitions, showcasing her paintings that highlight the plight of coral reefs and ocean pollution. Her work has taken her to the waters of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, besides India. After initially following her doctor husband to the Maldives, Mani currently lives in Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, where her husband has taken up farming after retirement.
Despite her efforts, Mani feels there is still so much to be done. “I don’t think I have made a significant impact…”. However, she remains committed to her cause, using her art and voice to raise awareness about ocean conservation. Mani’s work has not gone unnoticed. She was recognised as a ‘Champion of the Month’ by Sony BBC Earth last year, and has been featured in a documentary film titled Coral Woman by filmmaker Priya Thuvassery.
Mani says she will be turning 60 this year. Despite her age, she remains energetic and committed to her cause. “People think just because they live in a landlocked city like Delhi, their actions won’t affect the ocean. But the truth is, everything is connected. The plastic bag that you use in Delhi will eventually end up in the ocean, either through the Yamuna river or through the atmosphere,” she says.
Microplastics, which are tiny plastic particles that are less than 5 millimetres in size, can be found in every corner of the globe, including in the ocean. “These microplastics are ingested by small marine animals, which are then eaten by larger animals, and eventually, they end up in our food chain,” she explains.
Her message is clear—every action counts, and every individual has the power to make a difference. “We need to take responsibility for our actions,” she says, adding: “We need to reduce our plastic usage, recycle more, and dispose of waste properly. We need to take care of our ocean, because it’s the lifeline of our planet.”
As Mani continues to paint, dive, and advocate for ocean conservation, her story serves as a testament to the power of passion and commitment. She remains hopeful that her work will inspire others to take action and make a difference. “I am not an activist, I am an artist,” she says. “But I am an activist through my art—an ‘artivist’,” she adds.
