Group of young people by a swimming pool with mountains in the background, some wearing towels or swimwear, smiling and posing for the photo.

Our Story

Project NADAR is inspired by a lifetime love of swimming and a commitment to community safety. This journey started with a personal milestone: a young swimmer’s dream to conquer the waters around Alcatraz Island. From the coast guard’s initial refusal to a successful swim at age 13, this early accomplishment sparked a passion for the water. But with time, the goal shifted from individual achievements to a community mission. Swimming went beyond a sport; it became a call to action to improve water safety knowledge in our city.

Living in West Phoenix, a vibrant, diverse community with a large Spanish-speaking population, it is clear that language should never be a barrier to lifesaving information. Through collaboration with local resources and a growing fluency in Spanish, Project NADAR was born to bridge the water safety knowledge gap in our community.

Project NADAR is committed to helping everyone in our community gain the knowledge and resources they need to enjoy the water safely. Through multilingual resources, basic education, and accessible outreach, we are working to foster a culture of safety and respect for the water—one that empowers people to enjoy the water confidently while prioritizing safety at every turn.

Anaya Bhattacharya

A young woman with a bright smile, wearing a dark hoodie with a logo that reads 'SMHS Swim & Dive 2024-2025'. She has sunglasses on her head and is standing indoors with sunlight illuminating her face.

Anaya Bhattacharya, the founder of Project NADAR, has had a lifelong bond with the water. She was swimming before she could walk and has been competing for over 11 years, including in challenging open-water events. Her connection with the water has always been tied to her profound understanding of water safety, a value shaped by personal experiences and the guidance of mentors along the way.

Anaya’s passion goes beyond the sport; it is a mission to ensure nobody ever faces the pain of losing someone due to preventable water accidents. For the past five years, she has been learning Spanish and pursuing a Seal of Biliteracy to make information accessible in both English and Spanish, Arizona's two most spoken languages. In her work with Project NADAR, she is committed to breaking down barriers to water-safety materials—financial, cultural, or otherwise—to protect lives.

Through Project NADAR, Anaya is dedicated to empowering communities with water safety tools and education. She hopes to inspire change, ensuring no one has to say, “If only I had known.”

Our Navigators

  • A smiling woman with long dark hair, wearing a black and white patterned top and gold earrings against a dark background.

    Radha Basu

    PROJECT MENTOR

  • A smiling woman with short, curly blonde hair wearing a light yellow top and hoop earrings.

    Tracy Richards

    SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT

  • A smiling man with a beard and bald head, wearing a professional outfit, standing against a simple background.

    Kevin Storey

    PROJECT GUIDE

  • Young man with short dark hair, wearing sunglasses, a black T-shirt, and jeans, smiling, standing in front of a colorful graffiti wall.

    Ben Radley

    CREATIVE DIRECTOR

  • A woman with glasses smiling, sitting indoors with purple and red curtains in the background.

    Nayantara Mukherjee

    CREATIVE DIRECTOR

  • A woman with brown hair smiling, wearing hoop earrings, a gold necklace with a letter 'L', a pink and white shirt, and a navy blue jacket, standing against a dark background.

    Laura Packard

    SPANISH LANGUAGE ADVISOR

Our Champions of Awareness

  • A young man dressed in a plaid blue suit, white shirt, and bow tie, standing indoors with a serious expression.

    Connor Bagley

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • Sumantra Banerjee

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • A young girl with long dark hair, smiling with a gold medal hanging from a blue ribbon in her mouth, outside in a grassy area with parked cars and trees in the background.

    Ariya Bhattacharya

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • A young woman with long, wavy brown hair, light skin, and hazel eyes, smiling softly, standing against a plain white wall.

    Kavya Bhattacharya

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • A man smiling outdoors in front of green shrubbery, wearing a blue gingham button-up shirt.

    Matt Gardener

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • A young girl with long brown hair, smiling, standing against a plain white wall. She is wearing a sleeveless floral top and cream-colored pants.

    Ava Gerstman

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • Young woman standing on the beach, wearing a white dress with water and sky in the background.

    Annika Gulchak

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • Young woman with brown hair wearing a black sleeveless dress standing outdoors with green trees in the background.

    Aleta Miller

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • A young boy with dark hair smiling at the camera, wearing a blue t-shirt that reads 'Awesome Brother' and colorful pajama pants with a beach ball pattern, standing outside near a glass door with plants and a sidewalk in the background.

    Sawyer O'Connor

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • Young woman in a strapless black dress standing on a green lawn with trees and a clear sky in the background, during sunset.

    Lylah Pierce

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • A young woman with long black hair, wearing a pink t-shirt and blue jeans, standing in front of a green leafy hedge. She is smiling and has braces on her teeth.

    Kailahni Schneider

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE

  • A young woman with curly light brown hair and fair skin smiling outdoors during golden hour, wearing a blue spaghetti strap top and a leaf-shaped necklace, with trees and a stone fence in the background.

    Milla Sweeney

    PSA REPRESENTATIVE