Madhav Gadgil was one of India’s most influential ecologists and environmental thinkers, whose research and advocacy helped define how the nation understands and protects its natural world. Over a career spanning more than five decades, Gadgil championed inclusive conservation that placed local communities at the centre of ecological decision-making — a stance that clashed with conventional, top-down models of environmental protection. His scholarship argued that forests, rivers and landscapes are cultural as well as ecological systems, and that sustainability must be rooted in justice and participation, not exclusion.

Beyond policy, Gadgil built strong institutions such as the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, and co-authored foundational books like This Fissured Land and Ecology and Equity, shaping ecological education and activism in India. He also played a key role in the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the establishment of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, advocating grassroots engagement in biodiversity management.

Honoured with national and international awards, including Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and the UN’s Champions of the Earth award, Gadgil’s legacy endures as a reminder that science, empathy and justice must guide environmental stewardship in times of accelerating climate and ecological crisis.