India National Award Winner

The Sundarbans are the only mangrove habitat for tigers, yet the area faces severe threats from rising sea levels, cyclones and climate change. These pressures have pushed tigers closer to people, increasing incidents of human-tiger conflicts that lead to fatalities. Women who lose their husbands to tiger attacks are called ‘tiger widows.’ In the village of Dayapur, India, the tiger widows have taken the initiative in conservation by collecting seeds, nurturing mangroves, and planting them along the riverbanks. Their efforts restore ecosystems, reduce conflict and honour the memory of loved ones lost in the forest.