Featured by Work Well Womaniya | Celebrating Women Who Make the World Better
While growing up, we used to see storks here and there in Assam. But those sightings became rare over time, until a woman whose compassion, courage, and community spirit have not only put her on TIME’s Women of the Year 2025 list, but also on our list of true changemakers.
She is none other than Dr. Purnima Devi Barman, a biologist, ecologist who has emerged as a fierce protector of one of the world’s most misunderstood birds — the Greater Adjutant Stork, or Hargila, as it’s called in Assam.
When a Bird is Branded a Bad Omen
You’d think saving a bird would be a noble act, but for Purnima, it all started with stares and whistles. Literally.
She recalls a defining moment back in 2007 when she got a call about a tree being cut down. But this wasn’t just any tree — it was home to a family of endangered Greater Adjutant Storks. She rushed to the scene only to find a nest of baby storks lying on the ground, helpless and exposed. The man cutting the tree casually remarked that the bird was a bad omen, a disease-spreader that had no place in the community.
Locally known as “hargila”, meaning bone swallower, the bird’s habit of scavenging near garbage dumps didn’t help its reputation. Purnima’s neighbours weren’t thrilled with her mission.
“Everyone surrounded me, started whistling at me,” she told TIME, remembering the moment that lit a fire in her heart to fight for the birds no one wanted.
Turning Bird-Haters into Bird-Lovers
That moment wasn’t just about saving a few chicks — it was about changing mindsets.
Purnima launched a grassroots conservation movement while working with the NGO Aaranyak. She formed the Hargila Army, a group of local women who protect the storks and also educate villagers. Together, they celebrate the birds with rituals and even weave their images into textiles. From just 30 nests in 2008, the population has soared to over 150 nests today.
Purnima turned a symbol of disgust into one of community pride, and in doing so, gave local women a chance to lead and earn.
Growing the Movement
With the help of the Whitley Award, donated by The Shears Foundation in memory of Trevor Shears, Purnima’s next step is to scale the success to four new districts in Assam.
Her goals?
- Work with 10,000 villagers to rescue chicks, protect trees, and clean up habitats
- Train 300+ women in conservation and sustainable livelihoods
- Secure legal protection for wetlands that are home to these birds and 50+ other species
- Research to push for eco-friendly waste disposal and healthier wetlands
- Build a 10-year action plan with support from scientists and local governments
More Than Conservation: It’s a Movement for Women
Perhaps the most beautiful part of Purnima’s work is how deeply it intertwines with women’s empowerment. The women in the Hargila Army aren’t just volunteers — they’re entrepreneurs, artisans, educators, and environmental champions. They’ve found their voice and purpose in a movement that once faced mocking whistles and rolling eyes.
In her own words:
“The Hargila Army women are the conservation heroes of today!”
From mockery to respect
From being whistled at for saving a “dirty” bird to being celebrated globally, Dr. Purnima Devi Barman’s journey is a powerful reminder that real change often begins with discomfort, defiance, and a deep love for life, in all its forms.
Here’s to the storks.
Here’s to the women who protect them.
And here’s to Purnima — our Woman of the Week, and a true Womaniya in action.