Chami Murmu, widely known as Jharkhand’s “Lady Tarzan,” has spent more than three decades leading a grassroots environmental movement in Jharkhand. Through her women-led organisation Sahayogi Mahila Bagraisai, Murmu has mobilised thousands of rural women to plant and protect forests across the state.
Since the late 1980s, the collective has planted more than 3 million trees across over 500 villages in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district, restoring degraded land while empowering women through self-help groups and sustainable livelihoods.
Recognising her contributions to environmental conservation and social empowerment, the Government of India conferred the Padma Shri on Murmu in 2024. Officials and ministries have praised her work for transforming local ecosystems and creating economic opportunities for more than 30,000 rural women.
A Village Woman’s Mission To Restore Jharkhand’s Forests
Murmu’s journey began in Bagraisai village in Jharkhand, where she grew up in a modest tribal family and faced hardship early in life after losing her father during her school years. Forced to leave school after Class 10, she worked as a labourer to support her mother and siblings.
However, a meeting on environmental awareness in the late 1980s sparked an idea that would eventually reshape the landscape of her region. Concerned about large-scale deforestation caused by timber mafias and unsustainable practices, Murmu began planting saplings in barren land near her village. Initially, she faced resistance from some villagers who questioned a woman taking the lead in such efforts, yet she persisted.
Recognising that restoring forests required collective action, she formed a small women’s group in 1996 that later evolved into Sahayogi Mahila Bagraisai. What started with just a handful of members gradually expanded into a large network of more than 3,000 women.
Together, they began planting native tree species such as sal, neem, acacia, eucalyptus, and sheesham on barren land and around villages. Over time, their work transformed vast stretches of degraded land into green belts, while also building a strong community-led movement centred on conservation and livelihood security.
Planting Trees, Empowering Women, Transforming Communities
Over the years, Murmu’s initiative grew far beyond plantation drives. The network now spans hundreds of villages, bringing together thousands of women who not only plant trees but also protect forests from illegal logging and environmental degradation.
In many areas, women monitor forest land and alert community groups whenever trees are threatened. According to official citations linked to the Padma awards, Murmu’s efforts have connected nearly 2,800 self-help groups involving around 30,000 women, enabling them to become financially independent through activities such as livestock rearing, agriculture, and small-scale enterprises supported by bank loans.
The movement has also introduced initiatives such as water harvesting structures, diversion canals, and watershed management to support farming in drought-prone areas. These efforts have helped improve agricultural productivity, enabling farmers to grow crops such as paddy, vegetables, and pulses throughout the year. Officials say that the revival of forests has also supported biodiversity, with wildlife gradually returning to habitats that were once depleted due to deforestation.
Murmu’s organisation also works on broader social issues, including women’s education, health awareness, and programmes addressing anaemia, malnutrition, and maternal health in rural communities. Through these efforts, the movement has contributed to social transformation in villages where women previously had limited economic or decision-making power.
Recognition For Grassroots Environmental Leadership
Murmu’s dedication has received national recognition over the years. She was honoured with the Nari Shakti Puraskar in 2019 by then President Ram Nath Kovind for her work in environmental conservation and women’s empowerment. In 2024, she was further recognised with the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards, acknowledging her decades-long contribution to protecting forests and uplifting rural communities.
Government officials and ministries have described her as a “tribal warrior” whose work has planted more than 30 lakh saplings and empowered thousands of women through community-led environmental initiatives. Murmu herself has said that the recognition strengthens her commitment to continue the work she began decades ago. “I feel extremely honoured… it gives me an impetus to keep doing what I started,” she said after the announcement of the award.
Today, the environmentalist continues to advocate for afforestation and community stewardship of natural resources. Her movement demonstrates how local leadership and collective participation can address environmental challenges while strengthening rural livelihoods and gender equality. Across Jharkhand, villages once marked by barren land now stand as living examples of how grassroots initiatives can restore both ecosystems and hope.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Chami Murmu’s story is a powerful reminder that meaningful environmental change often begins at the grassroots level. At a time when climate change and deforestation threaten ecosystems worldwide, her work shows that community-driven action can create lasting impact especially when it empowers women to become leaders of change.
By connecting environmental protection with social development, Murmu has demonstrated that sustainability is not just about saving forests, but also about strengthening communities and livelihoods.
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