Jadav Payeng is an environmental activist and forest conservationist from the Indian state of Assam.
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He is also known as "Forest Man" for his work in creating a vast forest on Majuli Island in the Brahmaputra River.
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Payeng started planting trees on a barren sandbar in the Brahmaputra River in 1979 when he was 16 years old.
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He has worked for several decades to create a self-sustaining forest spanning over 1,360 acres.
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His work has transformed the once-barren land into a thriving ecosystem that is home to countless plant and animal species, including elephants, tigers, and rhinoceroses.
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Payeng has received several awards and honors for his work, including the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors.