Jadav Payeng, the Padma Shri awardee popularly known across the world as the ‘Forest Man of India’, remains stable at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital after being admitted with high fever, cough and breathing difficulties that briefly required intensive care. The Assam government has announced that it will bear the full expenses of his treatment, underscoring the state’s recognition of his extraordinary contribution to environmental conservation.
Payeng, 66, was admitted to the hospital on Thursday, October 1, after developing a high fever that had persisted for several days. Family members informed doctors that he had also been suffering from cough and cold. Medical examinations revealed that his blood oxygen levels had dropped, prompting doctors to shift him to the intensive care unit. By Saturday, October 3, his condition had stabilised and oxygen saturation levels were reported to be improving.
Assam Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah visited Payeng at the hospital on Saturday after attending the reopening programme of Kaziranga National Park. The minister spoke to the attending doctors and the hospital superintendent about the environmentalist’s condition and treatment. Later, Baruah told reporters that the state government would take care of all medical expenses and assured the family of full support. In a social media post, he described Payeng’s contribution to tree plantation and social forestry as invaluable and of global recognition, while praying for his speedy recovery and good health.
Payeng’s daughter, Munmuni Payeng, confirmed that her father was stable. She said he had been suffering from fever for about five days, which led to the cough and subsequent breathing problems. She expressed gratitude to the doctors for their care and to the minister for the financial assistance extended to the family.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also publicly wished Payeng a speedy recovery. In a message posted on social media on Saturday, the Chief Minister addressed him with the respectful Assamese honorific “dangoriya,” expressing confidence that the environmentalist would recover fully and continue his remarkable work.
Payeng’s story is one of quiet determination that transformed a barren sandbar of the Brahmaputra into a thriving forest. Beginning as a teenager in 1979, he planted trees over decades on what was once an eroding riverine island near Kokilamukh in Jorhat district. The result is the Molai Forest, covering roughly 1,360 acres or about 550 hectares, which now supports a rich ecosystem including elephants, tigers, rhinoceroses, deer and hundreds of bird species. The forest is named after him — Molai being a local name by which he is known. In 2015, the Government of India conferred the Padma Shri on him in recognition of his lifelong efforts in forest conservation.
His work has drawn international attention, documentaries and widespread admiration for demonstrating what individual commitment can achieve in the face of environmental degradation. Even in recent years, Payeng has continued his efforts, including newer plantation initiatives, despite challenges such as erosion, fires and other pressures on the landscape he has nurtured.
As of the latest updates on October 4, doctors at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital continue to monitor his condition closely. While he had required intensive care earlier due to the drop in oxygen levels, the improvement noted over the weekend has brought relief to his family and admirers. The government’s decision to cover the treatment costs is being seen as both a practical measure of support and a public acknowledgment of the debt Assam and the country owe to the man who turned a barren stretch of river into a living forest.
Payeng’s recovery is being followed with quiet hope by people across Assam and beyond, many of whom view him not only as an environmentalist but as a living symbol of what sustained care for nature can achieve. Hospital authorities and the family have indicated that his progress will continue to be closely watched in the coming days.
