Dr. Purnima Devi Barman is a wildlife biologist and the founder of the Hargila Army, an all-female conservation initiative protecting the greater adjutant stork in Assam, India. Dr. Barman has received many awards in honor of her incredible conservation efforts. In 2017, she was the recipient of the Nari Shakti Puraskar award, which is the highest civilian award for Indian women. In 2022, she was awarded the Champions of the Earth award in the Entrepreneurial vision category, UN’s highest environmental honor, and in 2024, she was awarded the Whitley Gold Award by the Whitley Fund for Nature.
