Renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil passed away.
About Madhav Gadgil (1942-2026)
- Born in 1942 in Pune, he was one of India’s foremost voices on ecology and environment protection.
Key Contributions
- He founded the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru in 1982.
- His efforts led to the establishment of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986.
- He chaired the Western Ghats Expert Ecology Panel (WGEEP) in 2010 and recommended that the entire Ghats be declared as ecologically sensitive in graded categories.
- Served as a member of the Prime Minister’s Science and Technology Advisory Council.
- Was one of the architects of India’s Biological Diversity Act and was involved in implementation of Forest Rights Act.
- Key Awards and Recognitions: Padma Shri; Padma Bhushan; Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement; Volvo Environment Prize; United Nations Environment Programme’s Champions of the Earth award.
