Who Was Madhav Gadgil? Ecologist Who Fought to Save the Western Ghats Passes Away in Pune

Distinguished ecologist Madhav Gadgil, celebrated for his pioneering work in conserving the Western Ghats, passed away late Wednesday night, January 7, after a brief illness. He was 83.

“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,” his son, Siddhartha Gadgil, announced in a brief statement.

Who Was Madhav Gadgil?

Born to renowned economist Dhananjay Gadgil in Pune, Madhav grew up immersed in the city’s natural surroundings, which shaped his lifelong commitment to harmonising science, policy, and community rights for ecological sustainability.

In 2010, the Ministry of Environment and Forests appointed him to chair the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), popularly known as the Gadgil Commission. After extensive consultations with over 150 experts and local communities, the panel recommended sweeping reforms: empowering gram sabhas with veto powers, promoting organic farming, restoring forests, and banning destructive industries to prevent landslides, floods, and biodiversity loss.

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Though the report faced resistance from state governments prioritising development, its prescient warnings proved accurate during disasters like the 2018 Kerala floods and recent ecological crises across the region. Gadgil’s legacy as a champion of environmental conservation endures through his visionary contributions.