US EditionWho was Madhav Gadgil? Environmental scientist who shaped India’s green movement dies in Pune
Madhav Gadgil led the 2011 Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, urging protection of 75% of the range and influencing community-driven conservation and policy.
- On Thursday, news emerged that veteran ecologist Madhav Gadgil had died in Pune, India after a brief illness, his son Siddhartha Gadgil confirmed.
- The 2011 Gadgil Report warned that 75% of the Western Ghats should be declared environmentally sensitive, but its recommendations by the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel remain only partially implemented.
- He spent more than three decades at the Indian Institute of Science , Bengaluru, founded the Centre for Ecological Sciences in 1983, and authored seven books with over 225 scientific papers.
- In a social media post, Jairam Ramesh said Gadgil was a top-notch academic and mentor for over five decades, while tributes noted his commitment to scientific rigour and community empowerment.
- He helped shape national policy including the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and pioneered People's Biodiversity Registers, earning honours like the Padma Shri and UNEP Champion of the Earth in 2024.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Scientist, author, and foremost voice of ecological conscience: Madhav Gadgil proposed a roadmap for Western Ghats conservation
Madhav Gadgil, who passed away in Pune at the age of 83, was instrumental in drafting the Forest Rights Act and founding the Centre for Ecological Sciences at IISc Bengaluru. His 2011 report on the Western Ghats sparked a national debate on development versus conservation.
Madhav Gadgil, Ecologist Who Shaped Western Ghats Conservation, Dies at 84
Veteran ecologist and environmental scholar Madhav Gadgil died in Pune on the night of 7 January 2026 after a brief illness. He was 84 years old. Gadgil was widely recognised for his pioneering work in ecology, his leadership of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, and his advocacy for community-driven conservation. His death was confirmed by his son, Siddhartha Gadgil.According to The News Minute, Madhav Gadgil was regarded as the father of …
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