The Indian environmental movement lost one of its most respected and influential voices with the passing of Madhav Gadgil, a pioneering ecologist and passionate advocate for the Western Ghats. He died late Wednesday night in Pune after a brief illness. He was 83 years old.
From Pune's Hills to Harvard: The Making of a People's Ecologist
Born in Pune in 1942 to Pramila and economist Dhananjay Gadgil, his journey into ecology began with childhood bird-watching walks on the Vetal Tekdi. A decisive moment came at age 14 through an exchange of letters with the legendary ornithologist Salim Ali about a green bee-eater's tail, cementing his desire to become a field ecologist.
After studying at Fergusson College and completing a Masters in Zoology from the University of Mumbai, Gadgil pursued a PhD in Mathematical Ecology at Harvard University. He taught there briefly before returning to India in 1971 to join the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru, where he spent the core of his academic career until retiring as its chairman in 2004.
In 1982, he founded the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) at IISc, which he built into a premier institution. His extensive field studies, from the Bandipur Tiger Reserve to Karnataka's bamboo resources, laid the groundwork for practical conservation. His work was instrumental in the establishment of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986.
A Legacy of Advocacy and the Controversial WGEEP Report
Beyond academia, Gadgil's legacy is deeply tied to his role as a "people's ecologist". He consistently championed the cause of tribal communities and argued against conservation that displaced local people. This philosophy defined his most public role as chairman of the Western Ghats Expert Ecology Panel (WGEEP), formed by the UPA government in 2010.
The panel's 2011 report, famously known as the Gadgil Committee Report, recommended declaring the entire Western Ghats (approximately 1,27,000 sq km) as an Ecologically Sensitive Area, with graded levels of protection. It advocated for a participatory, community-inclusive model of environmental governance.
The report sparked intense political opposition, especially in states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, over fears of livelihood restrictions. Initially withheld, it was made public in 2012 after a court order but was effectively sidelined. The government later formed a second panel under K. Kasturirangan, whose recommendations form the basis of a current draft notification seeking to protect about 57,000 sq km.
An Enduring Influence on Science and Society
Colleagues and admirers mourned the loss of a giant. Scientist Raghunath Mashelkar noted Gadgil "spoke for forests, rivers and communities that had no voice." Historian Ramachandra Guha, his co-author on seminal books like "This Fissured Land: An Ecological History of India" (1992) and "Ecology and Equity" (1995), called him an exemplary scientist, citizen, and a personal mentor.
Professor Raman Sukumar of CES highlighted that Bengaluru's status as a hub for ecological studies was largely due to Gadgil's efforts. Mahesh Rangarajan of Ashoka University praised his scholarly spirit and openness to critique.
Gadgil's contributions were recognized with the Padma Shri (1981) and Padma Bhushan (2013). On the global stage, he received the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, the Volvo Environment Prize, and the UN's Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.
He authored 225 scientific papers and seven books, leaving behind a formidable intellectual legacy. Madhav Gadgil's life and work remain a powerful testament to the idea that true ecological protection must be rooted in science, democracy, and justice for local communities.
