‘One of India’s foremost voices in ecological inquiry’: Kharge pays tribute to environmentalist Madhav Gadgil

NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday remembered prominent Indian environmentalist Madhav Gadgil, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 83.

Kharge highlighted Gadgil’s pioneering research on the Western Ghats, his role in shaping conservation policies, and his efforts to protect community rights, calling him “one of India’s foremost voices in ecological inquiry”.

In the passing of Dr. Madhav Gadgil, India has lost one of its foremost voices in ecological inquiry. His leadership helped turn scientific evidence into protective action, most notably through decisive engagement with landmark conservation efforts and community rights,… pic.twitter.com/4cFBtW0SGg

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) January 8, 2026

In a post on X, Kharge wrote, “In the passing of Dr. Madhav Gadgil, India has lost one of its foremost voices in ecological inquiry. His leadership helped turn scientific evidence into protective action, most notably through decisive engagement with landmark conservation efforts and community rights, particularly in the Western Ghats. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, and Karnataka’s Rajyotsava award, he leaves behind an enduring imprint on research, teaching, and ecological conservation, and his departure is a major setback for the country’s green cause. My deepest condolences to his family, friends and the scientific community.”

Earlier on Thursday, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh called Madhav Gadgil, a leading ecologist, a dedicated researcher, and a mentor who worked for over five decades to promote both modern science and traditional knowledge, especially in biodiversity conservation.

In a post on X, Ramesh wrote, “Madhav Gadgil, the pre-eminent ecologist, has just passed away. He was a top-notch academic scientist, a tireless field researcher, a pioneering institution-builder, a great communicator, a firm believer in people’s networks and movements, anda friend, philosopher, guide, and mentor to many for over five decades. Trained at the very best universities in modern science, he was at the same time a champion of traditional knowledge systems – especially in biodiversity conservation.”

Madhav Gadgil, the pre-eminent ecologist, has just passed away. He was a top-notch academic scientist, a tireless field researcher, a pioneering institution-builder, a great communicator, a firm believer in people’s networks and movements, and friend, philosopher, guide, and… pic.twitter.com/gJMOTdzuXw

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 8, 2026

“His influence on public policy has been profound going back to his crucial role in the Save Silent Valley Movement in the late 70s and early 1980s. His intervention to protect forests in Bastar was crucial in the mid-80s. Later, he gave shape to a new direction to the Botanical Survey of India and the Zoological Survey of India. During 2009-2011, he chaired the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel and wrote its report in a most sensitive and democratic manner that remains unmatched in both substance and style”, the post read.

Gadgil played a key role in landmark environmental initiatives in India, including the Save Silent Valley Movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and forest protection in Bastar during the 1980s. He also led the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel from 2009 to 2011, producing a report praised for its depth and democratic approach.

Gadgil’s wide-ranging contributions throughout the years have earned him some of India’s highest civilian honours, including the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan as well as the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement and the Volvo Environment Prize, the UNEP noted in its statement.

In 2024, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) awarded Gadgil with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“His influence on public policy has been profound going back to his crucial role in the Save Silent Valley Movement in the late 70s and early 1980s. His intervention to protect forests in Bastar was crucial in the mid-80s. Later, he gave shape to a new direction to the Botanical Survey of India and the Zoological Survey of India. During 2009-2011, he chaired the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel and wrote its report in a most sensitive and democratic manner that remains unmatched in both substance and style,” the post read.

Ramesh described Gadgil as a nation-builder and a true scholar, noting his gentle, humble, and empathetic nature, combined with vast knowledge. He further said he often sought Gadgil’s guidance during his tenure as Environment Minister and admired his deep knowledge of ecology and the Indian economy.

“Speaking on a personal note, in the twenty-six months I was Environment Minister during May 2009- July 2011, I turned to him every other day for guidance and advice. And our conversations were not confined to matters related to ecology. We spoke often of his father Dhananjay Gadgil, one of India’s greatest economists and author of that classic The Industrial Evolution of India in Recent Times, first published in 1924. We would also speak of the intricacies of the Indian monsoon, since his wife Sulochana was an authority on the subject. Nation builders come in different forms and varieties. Madhav Gadgil was definitely one of them. Above all he had the hallmark of a true scholar, he was gentle, unassuming, and exuded empathy and humility behind which was a vast ocean of knowledge and learning,” the post read.

Gadgil’s wide-ranging contributions throughout the years have earned him some of India’s highest civilian honours, including the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan as well as the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement and the Volvo Environment Prize, the UNEP noted in its statement. (ANI)