Nandadevi Kunwar is a women from Anatariya,2,Dhangadi who has devoted her life for the nature conservation and had to sacrifice her one hand during her attempts for conservation.Recently the team of flora scientists has named a rare orchid specie after her name.The newly founf orchid is  named Odontochilus nandei .It was collected from Panchase protected Forest in 2008 by Bhakta Bahadur Raskoti,PHD on Orchid specie.After it was confirmed to be a new specie of orchid Dr. Raskoti decided to name it after the conservationist Nandadevi.Earlier in 2008 a specie of orchid found in Lauribinayek,rasuwa was named after the great Conservationist Dr. Chandra Gurung as Niotica chandrei.With this addition the total specie of orchids found in Nepal is 453.Among them more than 100 of species are found in Panchase.The naming of this orchid is included in the international Journal ?Phytotaxa?.It shall be further studied by Species survival Commission,IUCN.

Talking about her,she is the to be chairman of a 17 Ha. Madhumalati Commnuity Forest.The CF will be named as Madhumalati Nanda CF,afterwards  as a salute to her contribution.She was attacked four years ago by a group who were involved in forest encroachment. The culprit who has cut her both hands making the right one completely useless has been out of reach since the incident took place.She is a mother to four children and is living a hard life as her right hand is useless and has a poor economic background.Her husband works in India as a guard and their income is insufficient to earn their living.Regardless of the hurdles she has in her life she still chose to stand for the conservation of nature.I think she is an inspiration for all of ua who want to work for the conservation.She is a true hero who loves forest and wildlife.She has been awarded by WWF and Naradevi samman and she aspires to work for conservation not for recognition but for her own satisfaction.Married at small age of 13 and raised in poor family she didn?t got the opportunity to study but her awareness and dedication has won the educated ones.Hope in coming days she will have more success stories to inspire the world.

Source:- Kantipur national daily