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in his boat. He would plant 100 saplings a day! He

would work daily for four to five hours. He had to
walk 3 km and fetch water for the plants.

Noticing the progress, Jadav began planting other
saplings. He planted cotton plants, then fruit trees

like mango, jamun and jackfruit. Birds, wild animals
and human beings consumed these fruits.

After the birds and animals ate the fruits, they threw
the seeds on the ground. This helped more plants to

grow there.
Thirty years after planting his first seed, the sandbar started transforming into a forest. Soon

the forest started to be inhabited by wild animals such as tigers, elephants, and a variety of
birds.

The locals named the forest after Jadav as a tribute to his hard work. It was called ‘Molai’
his nickname, which means ‘radish’ in Assamese. In 2010, Jadav became popular after a

wildlife photographer, wrote a feature on Molai Forest. The article drew a lot of attention
from the entire nation, even capturing
the attention of the government of India.

Jadav soon had an opportunity to
travel around the world to give talks on

environmental issues.

In 2022, he was conferred the title ‘The
Forest Man of India’ on World Earth Day.

Today, people know Jadav Payeng as ‘The
Forest Man of India.’

He has lived a life most people dare not
imagine-rising before dawn, paddling

across a river every day for almost 40
years to replenish nature.

“I never feel danger in the forest,” Jadav
says. It’s my biggest home, a home which in addition to trees is filled with tigers, deer,

monkeys and a wide variety of birds.

When asked how he has sustained his passion for so long, Payang says, “No one sees God. I
see God in nature. Nature is God. It gives me inspiration and power to continue this work.”

15 Arrow - English Plus-7