Shattering stereotypes in a historically male-dominated profession, Parbati Barua—affectionately referred to as Assam’s ‘Elephant Girl’—has worked as a mahout for more than 40 years before turning her full attention to wildlife conservation. Her passion for elephants and years of working with them have earned her one of India’s most renowned conservationists.
Parbati, a mahout family member by birth, broke convention to emerge as India’s first woman elephant catcher. She has worked assiduously to conserve these gentle animals, campaigning for humane treatment, improved habitat preservation, and human-elephant conflict mitigation.
Notwithstanding opposition, she has trained generations of mahouts in humane handling techniques and advocated conservation-based policies. Her work on the study of elephant behavior has gained her recognition in India and all over the world.
Today, as a conservationist, Parbati inspires women and young wildlife enthusiasts to enter the field. Her life’s work is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and shattering stereotypes in the battle for wildlife conservation.
