Jadav Payeng, popularly known as the Forest Man of India is an environmental activist and forestry worker from Majuli. Over the course of several decades, he has planted and tended trees on a sandbar of the river Brahmaputra turning it into a forest reserve. With his hard work, Jadav has created a forest on Majuli Island by planting more than 4 crore trees.
| Name: | Jadav Payeng |
| Other names: | Molai |
| Born: | 31 October 1959 (age 64 years), Jorhat |
| Awards: | Padma Shri |
| Movies: | Forest Man, The Molai Forest, Soul of the Forest |
| Parents: | Lakhiram Payeng, Aphuli Payeng |
| Spouse: | Binita Payeng |
| Children: | 3 |
Jadav Payeng, a resident of Jorhat district of Assam, has created a 1,360-acre forest along the banks of the Brahmaputra river. By doing so, they have not only provided a home to thousands of wild animals, but have also set a unique example of environmental protection. He has planted more than 4 crore trees so far. He has also been awarded the Padma Shri honor in the year 2015. Apart from this, he has also received a Doctorate (PhD) degree from Assam Agricultural University.
There was a severe flood in Assam during 1979. Jadav, then 16, saw that many animals were found dead on the banks of the Brahmaputra. Hundreds of dead snakes had landed on the sand and due to land erosion, the entire greenery around had been swallowed by the river. Due to which the animals and birds there lost their habitat. This incident had a great impact on Jadav's mind. Then he decided that he would plant a lot of trees and create a big forest.
Jadav Payeng was honored by Jawaharlal Nehru University for his courage and exemplary contribution to nature and was given a new name Forest Man Of India. Canadian filmmaker McMaster has also made a documentary film named 'Forest Man' on the life of Jadav Payeng. This film was released in the year 2014 and this film has received international awards.
Under an agreement between Jadav Payeng and the Mexican government, Payeng has to stay in Mexico for the next ten years, where he will plant trees on eight lakh hectares of land. For this he has been given a ten-year visa by the Mexican government. Ultranews salutes the spirit of nature lover Jadav Payeng.