ANGOLA: Ishwar Malpe, who came to Shirur yesterday to take part in the rescue operation for Arjun, is now being discussed widely. Ishwar has undertaken many missions over the course of two decades. About a thousand people were saved. Ishwar Malpe delivers drinking water to fishing boats for a living. He holds no academic qualifications to dive and rescue, apart from recent specialist training in scuba diving. Seeing the river as land, touching it and paddling it, Ishwar Malpe comes to guard those injured by the water.

During the lockdown, the owner of a Udupi-based hotel jumped into the river near Manipura-Udyavara. Ishwar got the phone call at around 3 am and it was dark when he reached the spot. Ishwar brought him safely to the shore from where he was trapped under a rock.

10 years ago, a girl who failed SSLC who jumped into the sea was also rescued. Two deep sea fishing trawlers have also been rescued. The trawlers were found near an estuary. With the help of a friend, both ships were saved from sinking. Two oxygen cylinders donated by the Malpe Mechanical Society will be carried along for most of the missions. An oxygen refilling kit worth Rs 1.25 lakh is required for rescue operations.

Ishwar Malpe has no history of refusing any request for help to rescue those who fell in the water till date. Efforts to help others are always supported by his wife. Malpe's main strength is his ability to hold his breath underwater for up to three minutes. It is this skill that helps him recover dead bodies without even an oxygen kit. Ishwar Malpe lives with his mother, wife and three children near Malpe Beach.