Back in 1979, a 16-year-old Jadav Payeng started planting trees in Majuli, a small Indian island threatened by erosion and ravaged by floods that had led to widespread deforestation and animal losses. Today, his trees have transformed into a lush forest spanning over 1000 hectares.

Payeng single-handedly converted a barren land into a full blown forest which is now home to wild elephants, rhinos, tigers and deer. He was even honoured with the title ‘Forest Man Of India’ by Former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and is also a recipient of Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India.

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Photographer Jitu Kalita, who also lives in the Jorhat district in Assam just like Payeng, showed the world the amazing story of Jadav Payeng in a short documentary film. The short film titled "Forest Man", directed by William Douglas McMaster, even won the Best Documentary for American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014.

You can watch the heart-warming and inspiring tale here: