Renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil.
| Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakkat
Known for his work on the ecological significance of the Western Ghats, Madhav Gadgil headed the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, also known as the Gadgil Committee, which made several recommendations to safeguard the fragile mountains.
In 2024, the United Nations had recognised him with the annual Champions of the Earth award, the U.N.’s highest environmental honour, for his seminal work in the Western Ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot.
He was closely associated with the IISc, Bengaluru and helped establishing the Centre for Ecological Sciences there.
His memoir, A Walk Up The Hill: Living with People and Nature, is a repository of information about how India’s battle for safeguarding ecology was won and lost.
Here’s a series of articles on the eminent ecologist.
Published – January 08, 2026 12:00 pm IST