Rustom Basumatary spent his childhood in a remote Indian village, doing what many Bodo boys did: hunting small animals and felling trees in Manas National Park. Back then, it was just how you grew up, how you survived. Fast forward a few decades, and Basumatary is back in the park, but this time, he's leading the charge to save it.
He's swapped his hunting tools for binoculars, guiding visitors to spot the very creatures he once pursued. "We used to earn our living by hunting animals and cutting trees," he explains. "Now we have changed. Today, we earn our livelihood by guiding people to observe birds and animals." Which, if you think about it, is a pretty satisfying full-circle moment.
The Unexpected Advocate
Basumatary isn't just a tour guide with a compelling backstory; he's a full-blown wildlife advocate. He's been instrumental in protecting endangered species, even rediscovering the critically endangered white-bellied heron in the park after it had been missing for ages. Imagine the paperwork on that one.
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Start Your News DetoxHe's also channeling his passion into the next generation, co-founding the Manas Ever Welfare Society, a youth-led community group dedicated to conservation. Because who better to teach kids about protecting nature than someone who learned the hard way?
His efforts haven't gone unnoticed. In 2023, Basumatary received the Assam Guarav Award, one of Northeast India's highest civilian honors for his conservation work. Filmmaker Salma Sultana Barbhuiya, who captured his story in her documentary "Chasing Birds," put it simply: "The jungle offered him something the outside world could not: peace, wonder, and a sense of belonging."
But Basumatary is clear-eyed about the challenges. "For every tree I plant, there are many people ready to cut it down," he notes in the film. "It has many enemies with almost a 50-50 chance of survival. Conservation is not easy; it’s a tough task. Still, we are doing it, and we will continue our efforts." Which is about as grounded an optimist as you're going to find.
