In the forest areas of India, people are fighting for democracy, livelihood and dignity. Millions of people live in and near India's forests, but have no legal rights to their homes, land or livelihoods. Since time immemorial, these tribal communities of India have had an integral and close relationship with forests and depend on forests for their livelihood 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 land ownership, already marginalized local inhabitants suffered. Government officials have complete power over the forests and their inhabitants. This leads to errors of judgment that harm both forests and people. This situation prevailed throughout India before independence. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, also known as the Forest Rights Act, is an important step in addressing these issues. ...