Soumya Ranjan Biswal, the 26-year-old founder of Odisha Paryavaran Sanrakshan Aviyan, has mobilised local communities to protect ecosystems, promote mangrove restoration and Olive Ridley turtle conservation, and organise events to combat sea pollution.
The first step toward environment conservation is spreading awareness. Soumya Ranjan Biswal, a young man from Gundalaba village in Odisha’s Puri district, quickly recognised the power of community participation in preventing further environmental damage and allowing the landscape to heal after years of abuse.
Biswal, 26, has dedicated his life to climate conservation, inspired by the remarkable work of Jadav ‘Molai’ Payeng, the “Forest Man of India”. Payeng’s feat of creating a forest on Majuli island in the Brahmaputra river of Assam over four decades, covering more than 1,360 acres, ignited a spark in Biswal.
Witnessing the deteriorating ecosystems near his village, particularly around the Devi river mouth, Biswal felt compelled to take action.
“My biggest motivation is Jadav Payeng. If he could do it all alone, the fact that we are more in number should lead to bigger action,” he said.
In 2014, with the support of his friends, Biswal founded the Odisha Paryavaran Sanrakshan Aviyan (OPSA). His journey, however, began much earlier. As a student of class 4, he was influenced by a retired Canadian scientist who visited his village to study Olive Ridley sea turtle conservation. This scientist, affectionately known as “Robert uncle,” would involve the village children in beach clean-up activities, instilling in young Biswal the importance of protecting nature.
“Robert uncle was everyone’s favourite,” Biswal said. “Whenever he came, we were eager to clean the beach, which always made him happy.”
As Biswal grew older, his curiosity about environmental issues deepened. He frequently questioned his social science teacher and avidly read about mangroves and sea turtles in his class 10 geography books.
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Though passionate, he struggled to find a concrete way to contribute. His motivation crystallised when he came across Abhyudaya Rajiv Kelkar, a YouTuber with a vision for a ‘Nature Conservation Movement of South Asia’. Kelkar encouraged Biswal to move beyond social media advocacy and take tangible steps toward conservation.
He also gave him a poster of Jadav Payeng. “I remember meeting this boy on Facebook. I saw his posts and I felt he can be a change-maker,” Kelkar said.
Under Kelkar’s guidance, Biswal started a mission to conserve the Devi rivermouth ecosystem. He focused on mobilising fishing and coastal communities, raising awareness about Olive Ridley turtles, and promoting community-led mangrove conservation in Odisha, a coastal state highly vulnerable to climate change.
His determination led him to connect with other environmentalists like Bichi Bhai, a dedicated Olive Ridley conservationist, and Chaaru Maa, a community leader committed to forest protection. Together, they guided Biswal in his conservation efforts.
“Although he didn’t have scientific knowledge about many processes, he was eager to learn, dedicate his time, and make a difference. Seeing his enthusiasm, Chaaru Maa and I decided to work with him and guide him on all the ways he could help conserve the climate,” said Bichi Bhai.
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Despite holding a B.Com degree, Biswal’s passion for wildlife and nature conservation remained his driving force.
Biswal’s work involved engaging various stakeholders, including local women, youth, intellectuals, journalists, political leaders and the Odisha forest department. He emphasised the importance of community sensitisation and education for sustainable mangrove ecosystem management.
He spearheaded wildlife and biodiversity conservation projects across several districts, educated community members and school students, and facilitated hatchery management training for government and NGO workers involved in sea turtle conservation.
One of Biswal’s notable initiatives has been organising state-level annual cycling events since 2019 to promote sea turtle conservation and combat ocean pollution along the Odisha coast.
Support from his friends in OPSA, especially his childhood friend Pintu Patra, played a crucial role. Patra admired Biswal’s dedication: “Not everyone can dedicate their entire life to this cause. People talk about climate impact and solutions, but few implement them on the ground. I’m proud that Soumya is leading this change.”
Biswal’s efforts have earned recognition from United Nations agencies, government bodies and media organisations in India. Meeting his idol Jadav Payeng last year was a milestone. His work led to tangible results, including mangrove restoration and a substantial reduction in man-made degradation.
In recognition of his contributions, Biswal was appointed as one of the six United Nations-India Yuwaah Advocates from 2022 to 2024. He was honoured as one of the top 17 grassroots youth climate leaders in India by the United Nations-India and received the Amazing Indian Awards 2022 in the environment category from the Times Now Group.
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He was also featured in the Limca Book of Records for his marine wildlife conservation awareness cycling initiative in 2019 and participated in the International Visitors Leadership Programme on climate change and biodiversity conservation in the United States in 2023.
Biswal’s philosophy centres on acknowledging the limitations of human intervention in reversing climate change while stressing the need to minimise its impact and strive toward sustainable development goals. His dedication and multifaceted approach make him a true climate champion, inspiring change at the grassroots level and beyond.
His efforts in preserving the Devi and Rushikulya river mouths have come a long way, and he now aims for even greater achievements in his mission to protect the environment. His story is one of quiet hope, a reminder of the individual acts that collectively shape a nation’s destiny.
The lead image on top shows Soumya Ranjan Biswal, who has been championing community-led environment conservation efforts in Odisha’s Puri district. (Photo courtesy Soumya Ranjan Biswal)
Devashish Biswal is a graduate of English journalism at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal. He has an eye for stories with the potential to grab people’s attention.
