Purnima Devi Barman, a wildlife biologist from Assam, is the unexpected commander of a large, and powerful army. Globally, she is now known as the Stork Sister.
The only Indian woman featured in TIME’s Women of the Year 2025 list for her contributions to conservation, Barman is renowned for her pioneering efforts to save the endangered greater adjutant stork, locally known as hargila (meaning ‘bone swallower’ in Assamese).
In her mission to protect the bird and its habitat, Barman has mobilised a powerful community of over 20,000 women, forming the Hargila Army, an all-women conservation group. The birds — there are around 1,800 in Assam — are mostly found in the three districts of Guwahati, Morigaon, and Nagaon.
A testament to their success is the steady rise in the stork numbers and the Hargila baby showers, now on as it is nesting season — this community event welcomes new hatchlings. “From being seen as a bad omen to being celebrated with baby showers, we’ve come a long way,” says Barman.
The greater adjutant stork on a tree
| Photo Credit:
Madhuvanti S. Krishnan
Growing up with trees and birds
Recalling her first time in the field in 2007, urging villagers in Dardara (near Hajo) not to cut trees where the greater adjutant storks nested, she says, “I wasn’t sure what I was doing or how I was going to fight for the birds. I was in Dardara that day because I heard trees with nesting birds were being felled. By the time I arrived, to my horror, the kodom gos [Neolamarckia cadamba, also known as burflower-tree, laran, or Leichhardt pine] had already been cut down, destroying many nests with chicks. As I pleaded and argued for the trees and the birds, the villagers thought I had lost my mind. To them, the bird was a harbinger of bad luck.”
Greater adjutant storks near the Deepor Beel wildlife sanctuary in Guwahati.
| Photo Credit:
Ritu Raj Konwar
At the time, Barman was a new mother to twins. As she pleaded with the villagers to save the birds and their nests, she instinctively picked up the fallen chicks and rushed to Guwahati in an autorickshaw. “To me, they were no different from my babies. I was helpless, scared, but also determined to save them.”
Purnima with some members of her ‘hargila army’.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Looking back, Barman recalls what drew her to these birds. She grew up in Palashbari, about 30 kilometres from Guwahati, with her grandmother, who would weave magical stories about nature. In these tales, trees were kingdoms, while birds and insects were their loyal residents and warriors. “Aita [grandmother] always made up these stories featuring adjutant storks, egrets, vultures, and Asian openbills, among others. But, unknowingly, she was teaching me about nature. I could identify birds from a young age and soon learnt their nesting seasons and preferred trees,” she says.
Greater adjutant storks
| Photo Credit:
Ritu Raj Konwar
Her grandmother’s love for nature shaped Barman’s path in life and led her to pursue a Master’s degree in zoology, specialising in ecology and wildlife biology at Gauhati University. “My professors inspired me immensely. They sent us on various bird-watching camps, and during discussions on endangered species, the topic of hargila and bortukula [lesser adjutant stork] came up. It was an instant connection to my childhood, and I decided to do my Ph.D on the greater adjutant stork,” she says.
From research to conservation
Barman’s work has earned her global recognition. She is the recipient of honours such as the Champions of the Earth Award, in 2022 — the UN’s highest environmental honour — and the Whitley Gold Award, which she received in 2024, often called the Green Oscar, for her work in biodiversity conservation.
A greater adjutant stork on a tree
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Now a member of the IUCN Stork, Ibis, and Spoonbill Specialist Group, Barman recalls how the 2007 incident shifted her perspective. She realised she was busy gathering material for her Ph.D on a bird that was at risk of disappearing. “What good is a thesis if the bird itself cannot be saved?” she thought. That moment changed everything — her focus shifted from research to direct conservation.
Determined to make a difference, she returned to the village, this time as an advocate for the birds. “The villagers complained that the birds made the area dirty and smelly. So, I offered to clean the foot of the nesting trees myself,” says Barman. These birds who mostly fed in marshy areas and shallow pits are now scavengers because of the loss of habitat and urbanisation.
At first, her efforts were met with ridicule, says Barman. “People laughed, mocked me with songs, and called me crazy. But I was persistent. I showed up every day until they finally decided to listen.” That was her first small step, but she knew it was not enough. She began rallying like-minded people, including families on whose properties the birds nested. “We organised pitha competitions [local food contests], naam competitions [bhajan singing gatherings], cleaning drives — with the hargila at the centre of it all,” she shares. These gatherings always concluded with awareness talks about the birds and the importance of preserving trees for biodiversity.
The ‘hargila army’ observe a baby shower ritual for greater adjutant storks at Hathiatol Temple in Pacharia village near Guwahati.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The ‘hargila army’ celebrates the nesting season of the greater adjutant stork in Hajo, near Guwahati.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Recognising the power of collective action, she has focused on including women in her efforts. “Women can drive real change. That’s why we call ourselves the Hargila Army, and we say it with pride,” she says. Thanks to their work, the once-neglected bird is now protected, celebrated, and even growing in numbers locally.
The movement has since expanded to include environmental education. Barman and her team have established the Hargila Learning Centre, where they introduce children to conservation and instil a love for nature from an early age.
prabalika.m@thehindu.co.in
Published – March 13, 2025 03:56 pm IST
