Basanti Devi organizes women to restore Uttarakhand's Kosi River

Basanti Devi organized rural women in Uttarakhand, India, to protect forests and restore the Kosi River.

After noticing declining water levels and deforestation in the Kumaon region, Devi began her conservation efforts in 2003. She worked with local women who spent much of their time gathering firewood, teaching them to use fallen wood instead of cutting living trees to preserve the local ecosystem. Devi established women's collectives, including Mahila Mangal Dals, to turn environmental awareness into community action.

These groups encouraged households to protect trees and take responsibility for local natural resources. The women also conducted awareness campaigns and a padayatra, a long walk, along the Kosi River to educate the public on the importance of the river basin. These efforts required overcoming social attitudes that previously limited women's participation in public decision-making. The community's actions led to the regeneration of broad-leaved vegetation, such as oak and rhododendron, in areas previously dominated by sparse pine.

The India Water Portal reported in 2011 that seasonal water sources known as naulas began flowing year-round instead of drying up in the summer. Additionally, the movement empowered women to take on leadership roles in local institutions and gram panchayats. Devi received the Nari Shakti Puraskar in 2016 and the Padma Shri in 2022 for her work in social welfare and environmental protection.