Earth heroes are not just to be found in comic strips but sometimes closer home too.

Dimbeswar Das, 53, a forest guard working as frontline staff at Kaziranga National Park, recently received the Earth Hero, Green Warrior award from the Royal Bank of Scotland in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The guard, also affectionately known as Dimba, received accolades and an award in recognition of his dedicated service to the field of wildlife conservation.

The award carries a citation and a cash award of Rs 2 lakh.

He has devoted around 30 years to the conservation of wildlife.A man of all seasons, his dedication was widely acknowledged, specially in the conservation of the one-horned rhino.

He was nominated by his controlling officer, the then divisional forest officer at Bokakhat, Rohini Ballave Saikia. He was selected for the prestigious award, being the lone member from Assam.

He is the son of late Maghiram Das from Japori Pathar of Bokakhat in Upper Assam’s Golaghat district.

State forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya said in a tweet that people like Dimba, working in the frontline, are the backbone of Kaziranga National Park.

He added that Das’s silent and relentless efforts have been recognised and honoured by the Royal Bank of Scotland Foundation during its 9th RBS Earth Heroes Award ceremony under Green Warrior category.

His achievement was widely praised in the state.

The director of the national park, P. Sivakumar, said this type of recognition would encourage the other staff.

Das told The Telegraph that the award would obviously motivate him to work harder.

The citation by the Royal Bank of Scotland said: “In the 29 years that he had actively served in Kaziranga, Dimbeshwar has faced poachers bullets and threats, survived charges from rhinos, wild buffaloes, elephants and big cats and had to move houses several times to evade threats to his family— all in the service to the protection of the national park, a national asset. A great network of intelligence and community support has led to the neutralisation of several notorious poachers. His mentorship and engagement with the community has resulted in quick and effective conflict resolution measures in the events of carnivore attacks on livestock.”