Jadav Payeng Biography 
Jadav Payeng is an environmental activist and forestry worker from Jorhat, best known for planting trees on a sandbar of the river Brahmaputra and turning it into a forest reserve. The reserve forest is now known by the name, Molai forest. Planting a tree daily for many decades, he converted a sandbar to about 1,360 acres of forest. Wild animals also live in this forest. For his contributions to protect Mother Earth and wild life, Indian government honoured him with Padma Shri in 2015. The forest is located near Kokilamukh of Jorhat, Assam. Jadav Payeng is now hailed as ‘Forest Man of India’.
He was born in 1963. His full name is Jadav "Molai" Payeng, and he belonged to a Mishing tribe. His parents sold milk to earn a living. In 1965, with 13 siblings, the poverty wrecked family shifted to Majuli on the other side of the river bank, leaving behind young Jadav at a court-master who looked after his schooling.
In 1979, when Jadav was only 16 and just completed his 10th exams, he witnessed a sight that shook him to the core. Hundreds of snakes curved, looped and twisted lifelessly on the deserted sandbar which broke young boy’s heart. The barren land without a tree cover was the major reason behind this. He went to the nearby Deori community village, where the villagers suggested him to grow trees to save reptiles. They also encouraged him and offered 50 seeds and 25 bamboo plants.
He sowed the seeds and planted trees as well, and in 35 years slowly he transformed the land to a forest. During fertile period, he planted mulberries, bamboo, jackfruit, plums, tamarind, gulmohar, banyan, star fruit, custard apple and many more varieties. He also planted medicinal trees. The rest of the year, he collected seeds and saplings.
During early days he used to carry plant every day to the area and tended them on the sandbar of river Brahmaputra. An initiative by a teenager in 1979 has converted the land to a reserve green forest finally. Payeng's forest is now home for five Royal Bengal tigers, more than a hundred deers, vultures, wild boar and many creatures. Local inhabitants nicknamed him ‘Molai’ meaning ‘forest’, and very soon the forest was dubbed as Molai forest. He got married at the age of 39 to Binita, and the couple has three kids. Now in the mid-50s, his mission is still going on.
Published: N/A
Updated: August 16, 2017
