PuneAfter a brief illness, renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil—known for his groundbreaking research on the Western Ghats—died in Pune late on Wednesday night, according to family sources on Thursday. Gadgil passed away at a city hospital at the age of 83, according to sources cited by news agency PTI.
"I am very sorry to share the sad news that my father, Madhav Gadgil, passed away late last night in Pune after a brief illness," Siddhartha Gadgil said in a succinct statement.
Madhav Gadgil was who?Gadgil, a legendary figure in environmental science, was instrumental in influencing India's ecological discourse, especially with regard to conservation and sustainable development, especially with regard to the Western Ghats.
He was a renowned ecologist, scholar, and public intellectual best known for his contributions to sustainable development, people-centered environmental governance, and biodiversity conservation. He combined rigorous scientific research with policy advocacy over the course of a multi-decade career, frequently emphasizing the need to strike a balance between development and ecological sensitivity.
Gadgil, who was born in the Western Ghats in 1942 and was greatly influenced by the region's rich natural and cultural legacy, made the decision to become a field ecologist and anthropologist while still in high school, according to Penguin, which released his autobiography A Walk Up the Hill: Living With People and Nature in 2023.
Before finishing his doctoral studies in mathematical ecology at Harvard University, he continued his education in Pune and Mumbai. It earned him a PhD in 1969, and he was awarded a fellowship by IBM to continue working as a research fellow at the Harvard Computing Center while also teaching biology at the university for two years.
Gadgil established two research centers, the Center of Theoretical Studies and the Center for Ecological Studies, while serving as a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Science for more than thirty years. Additionally, he was a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University.
He chaired the Global Environment Facility's Science and Technology Advisory Panel and contributed to the drafting of India's Biological Diversity Act.Additionally, Gadgil served as chair of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, which was established by the central government to investigate the effects of development, population pressure, and climate change on the ecologically delicate area. Despite controversy, his suggestions continue to have an impact on discussions of environmental policy.
The Western Ghats' championThe Western Ghats, one of the eight "hottest" biodiversity hotspots in the world, are most closely linked to Gadgil. He presided over the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), which was established by the central government to investigate the effects of uncontrolled development, population pressure, and climate change on the delicate ecosystem.
The panel's report, commonly referred to as the Gadgil Committee Report, called for more stringent environmental protections and suggested designating a significant portion of the Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive zones. Nearly 75% of the Western Ghats should be designated as ecologically sensitive, according to the panel's report. Unchecked mining, infrastructure growth, and deforestation would cause landslides, floods, and long-term ecological collapse, according to the dire warning.
Even fifteen years after a panel led by eminent ecologist Madhav Gadgil first suggested such demarcation in 2011, the Center has yet to notify eco-sensitive zones along the Western Ghats. The devastating landslides that killed over 250 people in Kerala's Wayanad in 2024 were one of the areas the Gadgil panel identified, highlighting the long-term effects of postponed environmental protections.
Significant honors and awardsHis scientific work, public service, and lifelong dedication to environmental protection have earned him numerous national and international honors over the years.
In recognition of Gadgil's groundbreaking contributions to the study and preservation of the Western Ghats, one of the world's most significant biodiversity hotspots, the UN presented him with the esteemed "Champions of the Earth" award in 2024. This award is the organization's highest environmental honor.According to the UNEP statement, Gadgil has always regarded himself as a "people's scientist" throughout his six-decade scientific career, which has taken him from the halls of Harvard University to the highest levels of India's government.
In 1981, the Indian government awarded Gadgil the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honor in the nation. The highest honor in science and technology in India, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, was given to him in 1986 by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
He was previously awarded the Rajyotsava Prashasthi, the second-highest civilian honor in the state, by the Karnataka government in 1983.
In 2006, Gadgil received the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor, in appreciation of his ongoing contributions.
Additionally, his work received widespread recognition on a global scale. The University of Southern California awarded him the John and Alice Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in 2015, the Georgescu-Roegen Award in 2014, and the esteemed Volvo Environment Prize in 2017.