Bibha Sonowal

Wildlife Service Awards (2010)

Women's Unit Of The Kaziranga National Park: Bibha Sonowal, Pallabita Bora, Swarnalata Bhuyan and Anita Das are courageous women forest guards of Kaziranga. Theirs is the very first team of female wildlife defenders in the park, they have been patrolling this world famous rhino and tiger forest for a year now. Their contribution far exceeds their role in checking crime by women operatives of the many armed poaching gangs that plunder this world famous wildlife reserve. Working in the same difficult conditions as their male counterparts, they conduct day and night patrols on foot and go out on raids, fiercely defending the wildlife in their charge.

They have shown courage and unstinting devotion to the wilds of Assam. This is why we have honoured them.