Across the forest areas of India, people are struggling for democracy, livelihood and dignity. Millions of people live in and near India's forests, but have no legal rights to their homes, lands or livelihoods. Since time immemorial, these tribal communities of India have had a close and integral relationship with forests and depend on them for sustenance and existence. This is the closest possible example of mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships between humans and nature. However, the rights of these communities were rarely recognized by the authorities and, in the absence of real ownership of the land, the already marginalized local inhabitants suffered. Government officials have all the power over forests and their inhabitants. This results in bad decisions that negatively affect both forests and people. This situation has been prevalent across India since before independence. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, otherwise commonly known as the Forest Rights Act, is an important step in rectifying these ...