Indian biologist, wildlife conservationist Purnima Devi Barman among Time Magazine's 2025 list of 'Women of the Year'

An Indian biologist and wildlife conservationist has been named by Time Magazine among this years Women of the Year in a list that honours extraordinary leaders working toward a better more equal worldPurnima Devi Barman 45 is the only Indian woman on Times Women of the Year 2025 list released ThursdayThe list of 13 women also includes actor Nicole Kidman and Gisele Pelicot of France who was drugged by her husband and raped by over 70 different men and who became a global icon in the campaign against sexual violenceThe profile on Barman states that she remembers the day in 2007 when her life changed when she got a call that a tree that was home to a family of greater adjutant storks was being chopped down in Assam where she livesAs she questioned why the tree was being cut she said iquestEveryone surrounded me started whistling at meiquestBut all she could think about were her infant twin daughters Like the storks they were so small Barman was compelled to rescue the birds Feeling their heartbeats moved heriquest the Time profile saidIt quoted her as saying that for the first time she felt the importance the call of nature From that day my mission startedIt noted that at the time there were an estimated 450 greater adjutant storks left in the regionIn 2023 thanks to Barmans work the stork was moved from endangered status under the International Union for Conservation of Natures classification to iquestnear threatenediquestTheir population in Assam has soared to more than 1800iquest it addedSupporting Barman in her efforts is her Hargila Army a team of some 20000 women who protect the birds nests and educate others about the beauty of these imposing nearly 5fttall scavengersThe network has been expanding from Assam to other parts of India and now Cambodia with schools as far away as France teaching students about her workToday Barman proudly dons her traditional dress and shawl decorated with images of the storks woven by members of the Hargila Army who are able to earn a living by selling such itemsiquest Time saidFrom clothing songs or celebrating baby showers for new chicks this bird is now a part of our tradition and cultureiquest she saidTime said that in deciding who makes the Women of the Year list each year we ask ourselves the same question What are the most significant issues facing women and girls around the world right now Challenges are abundant from genderbased violence and attacks on womens rights to the dangers of a volatile climateBut everywhere those threats can be found so too can leaders pushing for change The 13 women on this years list are all in their own way working toward creating a better more equitable worldThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever