The Full Story

Where the Journey Began

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Dr. Purnima Devi Barman’s journey with the Hargila began long before it became a story of international conservation. At the age of five, while living with her grandmother on the banks of the Brahmaputra, she was introduced to the birds of Assam through the paddy fields and wetlands around her home. Her grandmother taught her bird songs and helped nurture a fascination that would eventually shape her life’s work.

That early connection stayed with her as she grew older, eventually leading her towards wildlife biology and the study of the Greater Adjutant Stork. What began as a childhood affection would become a lifelong commitment to understanding and protecting one of Assam’s most distinctive birds.

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Discovering the Hargila

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After completing her Master’s degree in Zoology, Dr. Barman began her PhD research on the Greater Adjutant Stork in 2007. During this period, she saw how dramatically the bird’s numbers had declined and how little welcome it received in many of the communities where it nested.

Known locally as Hargila, the bird was often misunderstood because of its scavenging habits, its large nests and its tendency to nest in trees around people’s homes. In some communities, it was associated with bad luck or disease, and nesting trees were sometimes cut down to drive the birds away.

 

 

From Research to Conservation

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In 2007, Dr. Barman began her conservation campaign in villages of Assam’s Kamrup district, where the birds were concentrated but often least welcomed. She recognised that protecting the Hargila would require more than scientific research—it would require changing the relationship between people and the bird.

Her approach therefore placed local communities at the centre of conservation. Over time, conversations around nesting trees, fallen chicks and habitat protection began to create a different understanding of the Hargila and its place in the landscape.

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The Hargila Army

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At the heart of this journey is the Hargila Army, a women-led grassroots conservation movement that Dr. Barman helped build with village women. Its members work to protect nesting sites, assist injured or fallen birds and spread awareness about the species within their communities.

The movement has also given the Hargila a place in local cultural life. The bird appears in folk songs, poems, festivals and plays, while Hargila-themed textiles and handicrafts have become another way for women to share its story and create livelihood opportunities.

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When Conservation Became Community

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For Dr. Barman, protecting the Hargila has never been separate from supporting the people who live alongside it. Through weaving, skill development and livelihood initiatives, conservation has become connected with women's participation, economic opportunity and a growing sense of ownership.

The work has also extended beyond the bird itself. Communities have taken part in habitat restoration, tree planting, wetland clean-ups and conservation education, helping turn the Hargila into a starting point for a wider conversation about Assam’s natural environment.

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More Than a Bird

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Over the years, the Hargila has gradually moved from being misunderstood to becoming a source of pride within the communities working to protect it. In the Dadara, Pachariya and Singimari area of Kamrup, the number of recorded nests increased substantially during the course of the conservation programme, contributing to the area becoming the world’s largest breeding colony of Greater Adjutants.

For Dr. Barman, this change is about more than numbers. It is about people seeing a species differently, recognising its place in their surroundings and choosing to protect it rather than push it away.

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Science, Stories & the Field

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Dr. Barman’s work brings together wildlife research, community conservation and environmental education. Her work has included efforts to protect nesting trees, develop artificial nesting platforms, restore habitat and engage children and local communities in understanding the Greater Adjutant and the wetlands it depends upon.

This combination of science and lived community experience has remained central to her approach: conservation is not simply about protecting a species, but about building the relationships and conditions that allow people and wildlife to share the same landscape.

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Recognition Beyond Assam

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The work that began in the villages of Assam has since received recognition far beyond the region. Dr. Barman was named a UNEP Champion of the Earth for Entrepreneurial Vision in 2022, recognising her community-centred approach to Greater Adjutant conservation and women's empowerment.

Her conservation journey has continued to receive national and international attention, including the Whitley Award and subsequent recognition for the Hargila conservation movement. Her work has also been featured through international conservation and media platforms, helping bring the story of Assam’s Hargila and its communities to wider audiences.

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The Journey Continues

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At the centre of Dr. Barman’s work remains a simple idea: conservation becomes stronger when people feel connected to what they are protecting. The Hargila has become a remarkable example of how science, community participation and culture can come together around a shared purpose.

What began with a young girl learning bird songs beside the Brahmaputra has grown into a continuing journey—one that connects the protection of a remarkable bird with the people, landscapes and traditions of Assam.