On Episode 231 of the Enormocast, I connect to the other side of the world with Indian climber, Gowri Varanashi. Gowri learned to climb in the US but fell in love with climbing in her home country of India. Immediately, she felt the need to bring more women into the small, male-dominated climbing community in India. Her efforts at CLAW (Climb Like a Woman) have not only introduced women to the nascent Indian climbing world, but also broken down barriers against women’s participation in outdoor pursuits in general. Now one of the top climbers in India herself, her pioneering efforts mean to transform her world for the better.
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Thanks Chris, wow, just so stoked to hear this energy. My wife is from Mumbai, so it’s particularly relevant here. Also, I hear you about Gowri’s voice and energy, it’s really nice and my wife and her family are similarly a pleasure to listen to, dudes included. I’ll see about donating…
Glad you found a special connection to this one.
Chris, I think you’re right. In 20 years when Gowri’s work is done, they’ll be an urgent need for Climb Like a Man (CLAM). 🙂
Dude, I’m in for CLAM!
The huge takeaway from this episode for me was how much I Love the USA. For anyone who thinks this is an awful and evil place, the freedoms we enjoy are clearly not available in lots of countries around the world. I was astounded to see how many burdens stand in the way of both women and climbing in the culture of India. Thanks for sharing this story.