Madhav Gadgil, a distinguished ecologist celebrated for his extensive research on the Western Ghats, passed away on Wednesday night in Pune after a brief illness, as confirmed by his family.
Aged 83, Gadgil was globally recognized and received the United Nations’ prestigious Champions of the Earth award in 2024. This honor was bestowed for his groundbreaking contributions toward the conservation of the Western Ghats, a prominent global biodiversity hotspot.
Gadgil was instrumental in chairing the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel. The panel was crucial in analyzing the impacts of population growth, climate change, and developmental activities on this ecologically sensitive region in India.