National Forest Martyrs Day is observed on September 11 to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives to protect forests and wildlife.

Given how important forests are for earning a livelihood in many parts of the country, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change declared in 2013 that a day should be set aside in honour of forests and those who work to protect them.

September 11 was chosen to be observed as the National Forest Martyrs Day as it was on this day in 1730, that the infamous Khejarli massacre took place. Maharaja Abhay Singh of Rajasthan gave an order to cut down the Khejarli trees in the forest.

People from the Bishnoi community protested against the order as they considered Khejarli trees to be sacred. As a mark of protest, a woman named Amrita Devi offered her head to save Khejarli trees from being cut down.