Today, Tripathi is a professional diver with a passion for working onshipwrecks. He has directed excavations on the Princess Royal shipwreck off Bangaram Island in Lakshadweep, and dreams of working on a Bronze Age ship some day. India’s seawaters are rich with archaeological remains and Tripathi believes there is much to be unearthed. His work with other archaeologists and the Indian navy in TN’s Mamallapuram and Arikamedu, Gujarat’s Dwaraka, Maharashtra’s Elephanta and several other sites provide exciting insights into ancient sea-based commerce, sea-faring activities in our seas and changes over time in these coastal regions. Still, Tripathi believes many studies hinge too much on science, while "people are losing the magic of language, history, culture and the ancient arts".