Prerna Dangi
2022 Fellow
Co-Founder and Founding Director of Climb Like A Woman and Himalayan Climbing Initiative
Prerna Dangi is a professional climber who is pushing the limits on rock, ice, and mountaineering in India. A Literature Graduate from St. Stephen’s College, Prerna got her climbing start with the Hiking Club in 2011. Since then, she has gained more than a decade of experience climbing in the Scottish Highlands, Russia, Slovenia, Alaska, and the American Southwest. The ultimate challenge for her, however, lies in the mighty Himalayas where she aims to open new lines on unclimbed mountains. She is spearheading the extreme sport of ice climbing in India, as well as creating a mark as an alpinist. Prerna is actively working to foster a strong climbing culture and community in India with an emphasis on introducing more women to the sport and the outdoors through the organization Climb Like A Woman (CLAW). She is the Co-Director of the community-led initiative Pitidharr Ice Climbing Festival. As an ambassador for the social enterprise Eco Femme, she advocates healthy and sustainable menstrual practices in the villages she visits for climbing. Climbing gives her the courage to overcome all things that seem hard, whether they are scary routes or stereotypes, which is a lesson she loves sharing with others along the way.