Indian Protectionist Purnima Devi Burman has made a list of Time Magazine’s Women of the Year 2025 for her extraordinary contribution in wildlife conservation. Ms. Devi Burman of Assam is the only Indian woman painted in the prestigious list with 12 other global honors.
Who is Purnima Devi Burman?
1. Born in the Kamup region of Assam, Purnima Devi Burman attended the University of Gauhati, from where she obtained her master’s degree in Zoology with expertise in ecology and wildlife biology. Researching for her PhD in 2007, Ms. Burman noticed that the owner of a tree cut a nest with a large supporting nest in 2007. Finding that the stork was disliked for her look and dirty habits, she stopped the PhD to educate the locals on her ecological importance.
2. Known for many conservation campaigns, Ms. Burman established a dedicated group of women “Hargila Army” to convert wildlife protection into a ground level movement to empower local communities. He has also served as a senior wildlife biologist in Aryanak, leading his maximum support protection project. She is also a member of Winn (Women in Women’s Network) India and IUCN Stork, IBIS and Spoonbill expert group.
3. To protect the stork, Ms. Burman began by changing the belief of the bird. Sixteen years later, when he began to work towards his protection, he has a team of about 10,000 women – “Hargila Army” – Protecting birds hunting sites, rehabilitating and even rehabilitating injured storks and even Celebrating the arrival of newborns with “baby shower”.
4. Thanks to his efforts, Stork was moved from endangered positions from the endangered position under the International Union to conserve the classification of nature. Ms. Burman’s work is not limited to the conservation of the stork. Their efforts have also made women entrepreneurship, offering them loom and yarn weaving so that they make and sell the clothes decorated with the metals of the Hargila.
5. In 2017, Ms. Burman received the highest civilian award for Indian women from former President Ram Nath Kovind, ‘Nari Shakti Puruskar’. The same year, he was also awarded the Whitley Award, known as The Green Oscar, presented by Anne. , Princess Shahi of the United Kingdom. He was also depicted by National Geographic India.
