Layland Marak, a farmer-entrepreneur and community leader from West Garo Hills has been honoured with the Green Guru Award by the Balipara Foundation, an NGO based in Assam.
Marak of Ganolgre village has helped his entire community under the Rongram Community and Rural Development (C&RD) Block to earn a better livelihood than the environmentally devastating practices of farming like shifting cultivation, rampant in the region.
Considered as a pioneer and a driving force behind a self-help group (SHG) named Chizingjang, Marak is engaged in processing and selling aloevera products and helped many to create immense opportunities to support fellow community members to achieve their dreams.
The award was presented to Marak during the culmination of the 9th edition of the Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics™ Forum, the flagship annual event of the foundation.
The forum also awarded other extraordinary visionaries of the Eastern Himalayas and their indomitable contribution. These grassroots leaders have worked tirelessly to empower, engage, sensitise their communities towards environmental protection and create opportunities for rural livelihoods.
Among the other awardees recognised by the forum were Dr. Prabin Saikia of Assam (The Lifetime Service Award 2021), Ivan Zhimomi of Nagaland (The Rural Futures Rewilding Award 2021); Sonam Tashi Gyaltsen of Sikkim (The NaturenomicsTM Award 2021); Momee Pegu of Assam (Food for the Future Award 2021); Gopal Nag, a specially-abled farmer-entrepreneur from Assam (The Food for the Future Award 2021); Lalvohbika of Mizoram (The Young Naturalist Award 2021); Kime Rambia of Arunachal Pradesh (The Forest Ranger and Guards Award 2021); Manjit Patir of Assam (The Rural Futures Rewilding Grant 2021).
