Purnima Devi Barman Wins Global Wayfinder Award for Conservation Work

Guwahati:  Renowned Assam-based wildlife biologist and conservationist Dr Purnima Devi Barman has been named among the 15 global recipients  for the prestigious 2026 Wayfinder Award, presented by the National Geographic Society and Kia America.

Dr Barman will be honoured at the National Geographic Society's Spotlight event, scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., from 14^th June  to 18^th June. She is set to travel to the United States on 13^th June to participate in the award ceremony and address audiences at the event.

The Wayfinder Award recognises visionaries from six different continents whose work in science, conservation, education and storytelling is helping to protect the planet and create a more sustainable future. Dr Barman received the honour for her pioneering community-led conservation efforts to protect the endangered greater adjutant stork (Leptoptilos dubius), locally known as the “Hargila”. She is the founder of the all-women conservation collective, the Hargila Army.

The recognition comes during a deeply emotional period in her life. On 5^th June, Dr Barman lost her father, Subedar Major Bhabani Kanta Sarma, a veteran of the Indian Army and the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Dedicating the award to his memory, she said, “Just days before receiving this recognition, I lost my beloved father. He was my greatest source of strength, discipline and inspiration. This honour carries a special message to my father, and I hope I have made him proud.”

Dr Barman said the award also belongs to the women of the Hargila Army and the people of Assam who have supported the conservation movement over the years. What began more than two decades ago as an effort to change public perceptions of a bird often regarded as a bad omen has grown into a powerful grassroots movement involving over 20,000 women.

Through habitat protection, environmental education and sustainable livelihood initiatives, the Hargila Army has helped increase nesting sites from 27 to more than 300. Today, Assam hosts the world's largest breeding colony of greater adjutant storks, with the bird's population exceeding 1,800 under Dr Barman's leadership. Her previous honours include the United Nations Champions of the Earth Award - 2022, the Whitley Gold Award - 2024 and recognition among Time magazine's Women of the Year- 2025.

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