Purnima Devi receives top changemaker honour; BRO, Rajagopal also feted

Purnima Devi, founder of the Helem Welfare Trust and champion of stork conservation, has been named Businessline Changemaker of the Year, cementing her position as a leading voice in wildlife protection and rural development in India's Northeast.

The Border Roads Organisation and social entrepreneur M.R. Rajagopal received Iconic Changemaker honours at the eighth annual awards ceremony, which celebrates individuals and institutions driving transformative social impact across the region. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the accolades, underscoring the government's recognition of grassroots innovation and community-led development initiatives.

The Businessline Changemaker awards programme has established itself as a platform to highlight unsung heroes working at the intersection of environmental conservation, social welfare, and institutional reform. This year's recipients reflect India's diverse landscape of change-makers, from wildlife advocates operating in remote communities to large-scale infrastructure bodies implementing sustainable development practices.

Purnima Devi's work, particularly her efforts to revive the Asian openbill stork population in Assam while improving livelihoods in wetland communities, exemplifies how conservation and socioeconomic development can advance in tandem. Her recognition signals growing momentum around grassroots environmental stewardship in India's eastern regions.