MUMBAI: Dr Madhav Gadgil, one of India’s most distinguished ecologists and a tireless advocate of environmental conservation with a deeply grounded, Indian scientific outlook, passed away recently, leaving behind a towering legacy in ecological science and public policy. Widely regarded as a “people’s scientist”, Dr Gadgil combined rigorous scholarship with field-level engagement, personally travelling, observing and documenting environmental realities long before sustainability became a global buzzword.From 1973 to 2004, Dr Gadgil served as a professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, where he founded the renowned Centre for Ecological Sciences, shaping generations of environmental scientists. He was also a visiting professor at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, earning international recognition for his work in ecology and conservation biology.In 2010, the Union environment ministry appointed Dr Gadgil as chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, tasked with assessing conservation needs of the fragile mountain ecosystem. The committee’s report, based on an extensive and scientific study of environmentally sensitive zones, is widely considered a milestone in India’s environmental governance, even as it sparked intense policy debates.Dr Gadgil was honoured with some of the country’s highest civilian awards, including the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, for his contribution to environmental science. His work also earned global acknowledgement, with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) conferring upon him the prestigious ‘Champion of the Earth’ award in 2024. In its citation, UNEP noted that “across a six-decade-long scientific career—from Harvard’s lecture halls to the highest policy bodies of the Government of India—Dr Madhav Gadgil always remained, at heart, a scientist of the people.”Among his many distinctions, Dr Gadgil served as a member of the Prime Minister’s Science and Technology Advisory Council (1986–1990) and the Global Environmental Advisory Committee (1998–2002). He was a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences and the Third World Academy of Sciences, an overseas member of the US National Academy of Sciences, and an honorary member of the British and American Ecological Societies.His awards included the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, Vikram Sarabhai Award, Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar Award, Harvard University’s Centenary Medal, the Volvo International Environment Prize (2003), the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, and the Tyler Prize (2015) from the University of Southern California for his contributions to environmental science. In 2010, he was also named an honorary fellow of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation for his research on tropical ecology and conservation.Dr Gadgil is survived by his family and an enduring body of work that continues to guide India’s environmental thought. His wife, Dr Sulochana Gadgil, a noted climatologist associated with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, passed away a few months ago.As tributes pour in from across India and the world, colleagues and students remember Dr Madhav Gadgil not just as a brilliant scientist, but as a principled voice who believed that protecting nature must go hand in hand with empowering communities.
