A journey rooted in people and place.

Where the journey began

At the age of five, while living with her grandmother on the banks of the Brahmaputra, Purnima was introduced to Assam’s birds in the paddy fields and wetlands around her home. Her grandmother taught her bird songs and nurtured a fascination that would shape her life’s work.

That early connection stayed with her as she grew older and moved towards wildlife biology and the study of the Greater Adjutant Stork.

Discovering the Hargila

After completing a Master’s degree in Zoology, Purnima began her PhD research on the Greater Adjutant Stork in 2007. She saw that the bird’s numbers had declined and that it was often unwelcome near the communities where it nested.

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

From research to conservation

In 2007, Purnima began her conservation campaign in villages of Assam’s Kamrup district. She recognised that protecting the Hargila would require more than research: it would also mean changing the relationship between people and the bird.

Her approach placed local communities at the centre of conservation. Conversations about nesting trees, fallen chicks and habitat protection helped create a different understanding of the Hargila and its place in the landscape.

The Hargila Army

At the heart of this journey is the Hargila Army, a women-led grassroots conservation movement Purnima helped build with village women. Members work to protect nesting sites, assist injured or fallen birds, and share awareness of the species in their communities.

The movement has also brought the Hargila into local cultural life through folk songs, poems, festivals and plays. Hargila-themed textiles and handicrafts give women another way to share the bird’s story and create livelihood opportunities.

When conservation became community

For Purnima, protecting the Hargila is connected with supporting the people who live alongside it. Weaving, skill development and livelihood initiatives connect conservation with women’s participation and local ownership.

Communities have also taken part in habitat restoration, tree planting, wetland clean-ups and conservation education, extending the work to Assam’s wider natural environment.

More than a bird

In the Dadara, Pachariya and Singimari area of Kamrup, the number of recorded nests increased substantially during the conservation programme, contributing to the area becoming the world’s largest breeding colony of Greater Adjutants.

For Purnima, the change is about more than numbers: it is about people seeing a species differently and choosing to protect it.

Science, stories and the field

Purnima’s work brings together wildlife research, community conservation and environmental education. It includes protecting nesting trees, developing artificial nesting platforms, restoring habitat, and engaging children and communities in learning about the Greater Adjutant and its wetlands.

Recognition beyond Assam

In 2022, Purnima was named a UNEP Champion of the Earth for Entrepreneurial Vision, recognising her community-centred approach to Greater Adjutant conservation and women’s empowerment. Her work has also received Whitley Awards and the Nari Shakti Puraskar.

The journey continues

At the centre of Purnima’s work remains a simple idea: conservation grows stronger when people feel connected to what they are protecting. What began with a young girl learning bird songs beside the Brahmaputra continues as a shared journey for a remarkable bird, its people and the landscapes of Assam.