The inaugural episode of Sony BBC Earth’s Earth Champions on November 6 will feature Jadav Payeng, also known as the Forest Man of India. Hailing from Assam, Payeng, a Padma Shri awardee, has transformed the barren lands into a thriving man-made forest. Payeng has reclaimed an island in the mighty Brahmaputra river where increased flooding has changed the flow and built up sandbars along the long stretch of the river that runs through the middle of Assam. Moved over by the sight of hundreds of snakes dying due to severe heat on the deserted sandbar, he decided to plant trees on the deserted island. The forest, called Molai forest after Jadav Molai Payeng, located near Kokilamukh of Jorhat in Assam encompasses an area of over thousand acres.
Narrating stories of nature enthusiasts to ordinary citizens from all walks of life, the Earth Champions sheds light on the change makers. It aims to honour and celebrate real-life heroes each month addressing issues of forest restoration, waste management, water, and air purification, etc. at a personal, household, or community level.
Airs on Sony BBC Earth from November 6
