Basanti Devi (environmentalist)

Devi became a prominent environmentalist, focusing on the conservation of forests in Uttarakhand.^[5] One of her key concerns was the Kosi River, a vital resource in Uttarakhand that also influences flooding in Bihar, affecting vast areas of land and millions of people.^[6] After reading an article predicting the river’s demise within a decade due to deforestation, she mobilized local women, emphasizing that the forest and river were their heritage and urging them to consider the consequences of its loss.^[2]

Devi negotiated with villagers and timber companies, securing an agreement to halt the cutting of new trees. Villagers committed to using only old wood for fuel.^[2] She organized community groups to foster conservation efforts, including volunteering to combat forest fires.^[5] Over time, these efforts bore fruit: springs that once dried up in summer now flow year-round, and the forest has become more diverse, with species like oak, rhododendron, and Myrica esculenta thriving.^[2]

In March 2016, Devi traveled to New Delhi to receive the Nari Shakti Puraskar, India’s highest award for women, from President Pranab Mukherjee.^[7] In 2022, she was conferred the Padma Shri, recognizing her lifelong dedication to environmental conservation and social work.^[3]