Meet Jadav Payeng, the Forest Man of India Who Single-Handedly Grew Assam's 550-Hectare Molai Forest

Key Points:

WHAT IS THE ONE ANTIDOTE TO DEFORESTATION? As American lawyer Martin O'Malley said, "Reversing deforestation is complicated; planting a tree is simple." Over time, infrastructural development has often come at the cost of deforestation. Not only the world's leading countries, but India has also risen to the ninth position in terms of forest area, according to the 2025 Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) report.

India, with its larger-than-life diversity, is home to 72.739 million hectares of forest land, accounting for 2% of the world's total forest area. Planting a tree is often regarded as a cure-all, as Martin O'Malley said.

However, years ago, a man from Assam, India, embraced this simple solution and grew an entire forest on his own. It took him years, but he never gave up and eventually created the renowned Molai Forest in the Majuli district of Assam. His name was Jadav "Molai" Payeng, an Indian environmentalist who later came to be known as the Forest Man of India.

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How did Jadav Payeng’s journey begin?

Payeng’s love for the environment began at a very young age and eventually led him to create a forest spanning 550 hectares, filled with greenery and wildlife and serving as a home to various animals. At the age of 20, Payeng witnessed a tragic situation of life and death caused by environmental degradation and extreme heat. He saw several dead snakes on a barren sandbar with no trees in sight. The sight of the snakes' deaths due to the scorching heat deeply affected him and sparked a determination in him to make a difference.

He started planting trees on the barren sandbar and transformed the entire area into a thriving forest, a process that took decades of his life.

Today, Assam’s Molai Forest is a thriving forest reserve that is home to Bengal tigers, deer, rabbits, Indian rhinoceroses, monkeys, and vultures. The forest also contains a wide variety of plants and trees, including silk trees, cotton trees, royal poinciana, and approximately 300 hectares of bamboo. All the credit goes to Payeng, who never gave up even after the Social Forestry Division of Golaghat district abandoned the region following the planting of 200 hectares of forest.

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The flourishing greenery of Molai Forest was first noticed by forest department officials in 2008 when they came across the dense woodland while tracking elephants. The officials were astonished to see the forest, as the area had once been a barren sandbar with little to no trees in sight. In recognition of Peyang’s efforts, the Assam government named it Molai Forest—a forest created through the dedication and hard work of a single man.

Payeng has been honoured with several accolades for his achievements, including the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, which he received in 2015. He later came to be known as the Forest Man of India. Payeng’s life’s work has also been recreated on screen, with documentaries and films made in recognition of his contributions. In 2021, director Prabhu Solomon released the fictional film Haathi Mere Saathi, starring Rana Daggubati in its Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil versions. The film was inspired by Payeng’s life and his environmental efforts.

Jadav Payeng’s contribution to the environment has inspired millions of people to take a step forward toward planting trees and creating a better future for the coming generations.

[Edited by Khushboo Singh]

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