An engineer who left a well-paying corporate career to pursue deep-sea diving has captured widespread attention on social media after his father shared the story of his unconventional career journey and pursuit of personal fulfilment over financial success.
The story was revealed by Careers360 founder and chairman Maheshwer Peri in a heartfelt birthday post about his son, Vinayak Peri. According to Peri's post on X, Vinayak is an engineering graduate. "He was in product, good at his job, well-liked and adding value. Everything about it looked right from where I stood: security, salary, workplace etc."
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Despite the comfortable lifestyle, he felt disconnected from his profession and struggled with the monotony and confined nature of office life. "But he felt that he didn't fit. Not as a complaint but a quiet truth. He didn't like the closed spaces, the stillness and the daily routine."
The turning point came during a family holiday when Vinayak experienced deep-sea diving for the first time. "And one fine day, he announced that he is quitting from his corporate life," he added.
There's a particular kind of fear that only a parent knows. The fear that comes watching your child choose a life you can't quite protect them.
— Maheshwer Peri (@maheshperi) July 3, 2026
Vinayak is an engineer by education. He was in product, good at his job, well liked and adding value. Everything about it looked right… pic.twitter.com/WET0aPzhrp
Inspired by the experience, he returned to train with a diving crew, initially taking on basic responsibilities such as inspecting oxygen cylinders and briefing tourists on safety procedures before completing professional diving certifications.
Today, Vinayak works as a deep-sea diving instructor in Indonesia, earning less than half of his previous corporate salary. His lifestyle has also changed dramatically.
According to Maheshwer Peri, his accommodation has neither air conditioning nor even a washbasin, and his work involves physically demanding tasks, including carrying heavy diving cylinders and spending long hours underwater. Despite these sacrifices, Vinayak says he is happier than he was during his corporate career.
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On his son's decision, Maheshwer Peri admitted that, "He didn't need me to protect him from this choice. He needed me to trust that he knew himself better than I did."
Initially worried about the absence of a conventional safety net, he said, "I am proud. He had the courage that I didn't have. He gave up comforts and chose what his heart said. He trained. Learnt. He was happy to be a subordinate rather than be the promoter's son. He chose the difficult path. The less-trodden path. He is happy. And I am proud."
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