Why Jadav Payeng called the forest Man, We’ve all grown up hearing about it and seeing it firsthand as more and more structures are erected in place of trees, and we rarely do something about it. However, there is one man who is changing this by achieving something inconceivable but not unattainable on his own.

Jadav’s Heroic Task

Jadav “Molai” Payeng, a Padma Shri awardee, planted an entire forest on Majuli Island in Assam when scientists predicted the island would perish due to a devastating drought.

In 1969, Jadav, then 16 years old, was confronted with a big challenge when a severe drought followed by a life-threatening flood killed hundreds of snakes owing to the excessive heat.

Scientists at the time had predicted the island’s demise within a few years.

To address this, a young Jadav in Assam began planting one sapling every day in the middle of a barren wasteland. Jadav had been doing this continuously for 35 years, and his efforts have finally paid off Jadav, also known as the Forest Man of India, was able to establish a forest on a barren part of Majuli Island that covered 1,360 acres. Jadav Payeng in Majuli, Assam, where he grew up. Molai, named after Jadav, is currently home to Royal Bengal tigers, elephants, rhinos, tigers, wild boars, reptiles, deer, and vultures.

An Impossibly Difficult Undertaking

Planting a sapling and nurturing it until it matures into a full-fledged tree is no laughing matter. It’s a difficult undertaking that necessitates a great deal of perseverance and mental toughness. It’s not easy to plant a forest that spans hundreds of acres. It may appear impossible, but Jadav has succeeded, and he continues to plant more and more to this day.

In 2015, Jadav received the highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri, in recognition of his dedication and endurance. Jadav considers his forest to be his family, and he aims to plant 5,000 more acres of trees on Majuli, resulting in a 500-mile length of flora along the Brahmaputra River’s banks.