The Enormocast: Prerna Dangi and Dani Dobrot

Dani and Prerna discuss the growth of climbing in India and GCI’s mission to power the work of climbing communities worldwide

By The Global Climbing Initiative | April 27, 2023

"In India, as women, we are all seen through a certain lens. I really want to shatter that lens and I think that climbing is one of the movements that could. Women have not had the chance to be in a space where they are actually allowed to be themselves and encouraged to do so."

- Prerna Dangi, GCI Athlete Ambassador

"I think with climbing you have the opportunity to impact so much more than just climbing, but the goal is that it doesn't have all the rules that other aspects of society might have. The community has the chance to make its own rules."

- Dani Dobrot, GCI Associate Director

Dani and Prerna sat down to talk with Chris Kalous of the Enormocast about GCI’s global impact and our partnership with one of India's leading climbing affinity groups, Climb Like A Woman. This podcast was recorded as Prerna concluded her AMGA SPI Certification and four-month-long climbing trip across the US as a recipient of GCI’s Climbing Leadership Fund.

Dani discusses how her professional career in global health and community development led her to this novel intersection of climbing development as the Associate Director of GCI. She shares the challenges and logistics of running a young nonprofit alongside other international organizations. 

Wrapping up her tour of the United States, Prerna shares her experiences climbing the classics, the challenge of adapting to a new climbing culture, and the privilege of being able to access gear. She heads back to India with international certification as a climbing guide and a greater appreciation of how resourceful the climbers in her community are. 

Through GCI, Dani and Prerna reflect on their fervor for climbing and how GCI equips global climbing leaders, like Prerna, with the knowledge and resources to support local climbing communities internationally.