Dr. Purnima Devi Barman, a Distinguished Green Oscar winner who also received the Nari Shakti Puraskar, was recently awarded the World Female Ranger Award 2022 by the international organisation How Many Elephants.
The World Female Ranger Award honours female wildlife rangers all over the world for their outstanding conservation efforts and service.
Barman, who is well-known around the world for her conservation efforts, dedicated her life to protecting Greater Adjutant Storks, commonly known as Hargila, and eventually built an army of women to conserve the species. Through her and her team’s tireless work, the image of the bird became a cultural identity.
The team also created the world’s first artificial breeding platform for chicks, allowing them to hatch safely and addressing the issue of avian habitat shrinkage. Purnima believes her involvement with the uncommon stork has helped to its resurgence.
“I’m humbled, honoured, and excited to be receiving the World Female Ranger Award 2022. I convey my humble gratitude for recognising the need for protecting endangered Assam’s Hargila and similar species. My acceptance of this award and honour would not be complete without acknowledging the groundbreaking work of courageous women rangers and eco-guards from all over the world. Bringing women to the forefront of conservation movements can create miracles as our Hargila Army has done. I hope we can work together towards more gender equity along with environmental sustainability. There are many challenges still and we are determined to face them and win through,” stated Dr. Barman.
Dr. Purnima Devi Barman, the founder of the Hargila Army, is a wildlife biologist with Aaranyak, one of India’s top biodiversity conservation organisations.
She even delayed her Ph.D. studies to prevent the dramatic drop in stork populations in her area. Purnima has not only implemented effective monitoring and maintenance of these nests, but has also transformed the residents’ perception of storks from a nuisance to a source of pride.
Holly Budge launched World Female Ranger Week (June 23-30) alongside her groundbreaking programme, How Many Elephants, last year. Holly and her colleagues have identified almost 5500 female rangers worldwide.
“We are delighted to give recognition to Purnima through this award, plus a grant kindly sponsored by the Globe Foundation.” Holly says.