Chami Devi Murmu is often referred to as the Lady Tarzan of Jharkhand as she protects wildlife and forests and improves the lives of the locals.

  Chami Devi Murmu from Barisai village in Jharkhand is an asset to the world of sustainable development. Nowadays everyone is motivated by chasing material wealth and trying to make their mark in the world of consumption, but not Chami Devi Murmu who realizes the value of nature and fights for its protection.

The forest cover in the state has decreased by 50 percent due to widespread and illegal operation of timber mafias commonly known as forest mafias in Jharkhand. This is when Chami Devi intervened to end the destruction of Murmu.

For the past 24 months, Chami Devi Murmu, secretary of the associate Mahila Bagraisai, has been bringing women from over 40 communities to help replenish forests destroyed by the timber mafia in Jharkhand, planting eucalyptus, sal and acacia trees.

As of now, Chami Devi Murmu has succeeded in reaching over 3000 women who are not only promoting her ideas but also helping in planting trees and creating watersheds to raise groundwater levels in the area.

Over time, Chami Devi Murmu's network of women became so strong that when a tree was cut down illegally, the information reached the women's ears immediately. And Chami Devi Murmu, along with other women, can prevent any tree from being cut down.

Chami Devi Murmu along with her organization is focusing on planting trees that will benefit all residents of Jharkhand. Funds are earmarked for growing acacia trees, as they are a major source of firewood.

The group also planted neem, sal and sheesham plants as they are great for building furniture and houses. Hence, with their presence, Jharkhand will get double benefits in the form of restoring the lost forests and improving the living standards of the people living there.

One of Jharkhand's districts, Seraikhela Kharsavan, is often involved in clashes as it is a member of the Red Corridor of the Maoist movement. Seraikhela Kharsavan is one of the low-income status districts in the country, where most of the residents are farmers. Due to the lack of heavy rains, there is no chance for farmers to grow crops.

To improve the lives of farmers, Chami Devi Murmu and other members of Sahayogi Mahila Bagraisai are building watersheds not only in Seraikhela Kharsawan but across the state to conserve rainwater, which is later used for agricultural purposes.

The team is also designing diversion canals as well as water harvesting tanks to conserve water. Through these efforts, Chami Devi Murmu and her team have given hope to the people of Jharkhand. Farmers of Jharkhand can now grow Arahar pulses and paddy and get good crops throughout the year.

In the last 10 years, over one million trees have been planted under the direction of Chami Devi Murmu. Moreover, wildlife has returned to Jharkhand due to the restoration of its natural habitat – the forests. 42-year-old Chami Devi Murmu has positively changed the face of Jharkhand without any help from the federal government.

The story of Chami Devi Murmu inspires all of us that anything is possible when we put our hearts and minds to it. Many people blame the state or other authorities for their poor living conditions and low standard of living and live their lives in regret.

One thing that can be learned by studying the teachings of Chami Devi Murmu is that instead of blaming others, we should accept the burden and responsibility to improve our future and lead a fulfilling life. Similarly, we need to think about the well-being of our community in order for the overall welfare to succeed.