Indian biologist and wildlife conservationist Purnima Devi Barman has been named in TIME Magazine’s Women of the Year 2025 list, which recognizes outstanding leaders working towards a more equitable and sustainable world. She is the only Indian woman on this year’s list, joining global figures such as actress Nicole Kidman and Gisele Pelicot from France, who has become a prominent figure in the fight against sexual violence. Barman’s initiatives to conserve the greater adjutant stork, known locally as Hargila, have made a significant impact on both environmental and social fronts.
