A postage stamp in memory of Chipko movement leader Gaura Devi was released by Uttarakhand Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal this week on her birth centenary in Reni village of Chamoli district. The minister called Devi a "symbol of environmental conservation" who inspired people to protect not just the forests of Reni but the entire state and country. The event was organised by the Nanda Devi National Park.
"Gaura Devi’s struggle teaches us that even an ordinary citizen can make an unprecedented contribution to environmental conservation," the minister said, adding that her message of “Save Forests, Save Lives” remains as relevant today as it was during the Chipko Movement.
He further focused on the significance of human-wildlife coexistence, emphasising the government’s initiatives to promote public participation in forest conservation. To mark the occasion, Mahila Mangal Dals from Lata and Reni villages presented cultural programmes based on the Chipko Movement theme. Gaura Devi’s son, Chandra Singh Rana, also shared memories of his mother.
Badrinath MLA Lakhpat Singh Butola said the courage displayed by Gaura Devi and the women of Reni was not just an effort to save trees but a fight to secure the rights and future of generations to come.
Chief Conservator of Forests and Wildlife Warden Ranjan Kumar Mishra lauded ongoing community efforts in the Nanda Devi region and urged villagers to further strengthen participatory conservation models to ensure a cleaner environment for the future.
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