Madhav Gadgil: A Life dedicated to Ecology

Renowned Ecologist Madhav Gadgil (1942–2026) has passed away, leaving behind a legacy of a Life Dedicated to Ecology. Read here to learn more about his life.

The passing away of Professor Madhav Gadgil marks the loss of one of India’s most influential and principled voices in ecology, conservation, and environmental governance.

Widely regarded as the conscience keeper of India’s environmental movement, Gadgil combined rigorous science with grassroots democratic ethics.

Madhav Gadgil: Early Life and Academic Legacy

• Born: 1942, Pune, Maharashtra
• Education & Career: Trained as an ecologist, Madhav Gadgil emerged as a pioneer of interdisciplinary ecological research in India.
• Institution Builder: In 1982, he founded the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, which became a globally respected hub for ecological research and conservation biology.

Key Contributions to Ecology and Conservation

1. Champion of Biodiversity Conservation

• Madhav Gadgil played a central role in the creation of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (1986), India’s first biosphere reserve, spanning parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.
• Advocated for landscape-level conservation, integrating forests, wildlife, and human livelihoods.

2. Western Ghats Expert Ecology Panel (WGEEP)

• Chairman, WGEEP (2010)
• Recommended that the entire Western Ghats, one of the world’s eight “hottest” biodiversity hotspots, be declared Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) with graded protection.
• Emphasised:
  • Decentralised environmental governance
  • Local community participation
  • Sustainable livelihoods over extractive development
• Though politically contentious, the Gadgil Report remains a landmark document in Indian environmental policy.

3. Environmental Democracy and People-Centric Conservation

• Strong advocate of community-based natural resource management.
• Believed ecological sustainability and social justice were inseparable.
• Opposed top-down conservation models that excluded forest-dwelling and indigenous communities.

Gadgil Committee

The Gadgil Committee, formally known as the Western Ghats Expert Ecology Panel (WGEEP), was constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 2010 under the chairmanship of Prof. Madhav Gadgil to assess the ecological status of the Western Ghats and recommend measures for its conservation and sustainable development.

Why was the Gadgil Committee Constituted?

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• The Western Ghats are one of the world’s eight “hottest” biodiversity hotspots and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Increasing threats due to:
  • Mining
  • Dams and hydropower projects
  • Quarrying
  • Urbanisation and deforestation
• Absence of a scientific, region-wide regulatory framework for sustainable development.

Key Recommendations of the Gadgil Committee

1. The entire Western Ghats is an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)

• Declared the whole Western Ghats (≈1.29 lakh sq km) as an Ecologically Sensitive Area under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Rejected the idea of protecting only “pristine forests”; emphasised landscape-level conservation.

2. Graded Zonation: Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZs)

The Ghats were divided into three graded zones based on ecological fragility:

3. Regulation of Development Activities

• Complete ban on:
  • Mining
  • Quarrying
  • Sand mining
    in ESZ-1 and ESZ-2
• No new large dams in ESZ-1; strict scrutiny in other zones.
• Strong opposition to environmentally destructive infrastructure.

4. Decentralised Environmental Governance

• Proposed bottom-up decision-making:
  • Gram Sabhas
  • Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs)
  • Local self-governments
• Emphasised democratic environmentalism, integrating local knowledge and participation.

5. Protection of Livelihoods

• Rejected the notion of “people-free conservation”.
• Recommended:
  • Sustainable agriculture
  • Eco-tourism
  • Non-timber forest produce (NTFP)-based livelihoods
• Sought harmony between conservation and human well-being.

6. Western Ghats Ecology Authority (WGEA)

• Proposed creation of a statutory Western Ghats Ecology Authority to:
  • Regulate development
  • Enforce ESA norms
  • Coordinate among States

States Covered Under WGEEP

• Gujarat
• Maharashtra
• Goa
• Karnataka
• Kerala
• Tamil Nadu

Criticism and Opposition

Political and Economic Concerns

• States argued recommendations would:
  • Halt development
  • Affect livelihoods
  • Restrict infrastructure growth

Implementation Concerns

• Industry and mining lobbies opposed strict bans.
• Fear of excessive centralisation despite decentralisation rhetoric.

Outcome and Aftermath

• Strong resistance led to non-implementation of the Gadgil Report.
• In 2012, MoEF constituted the Kasturirangan Committee, which:
  • Reduced ESA coverage to ~37% of Western Ghats
  • Allowed more developmental activities
  • Took a more technocratic approach

Gadgil vs Kasturirangan Committee (At a Glance)

Role in Environmental Governance and Policy

• Madhav Gadgil was a Member of Prime Minister’s Science and Technology Advisory Council
• One of the architects of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, which institutionalised:
  • Biodiversity conservation
  • Sustainable use
  • Fair and equitable benefit sharing
• Actively involved in the conceptual and practical dimensions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, supporting recognition of forest communities’ traditional rights.

Awards and Recognitions

Madhav Gadgil received numerous national and international honours, reflecting the global relevance of his work:

• Padma Shri
• Padma Bhushan
• Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement
• Volvo Environment Prize
• UNEP Champions of the Earth Award

Legacy and Significance

• Represented a rare blend of scientific rigour, ethical clarity, and civic engagement.
• His work continues to influence debates on:
  • Development vs environment
  • Federalism in environmental governance
  • Climate resilience and biodiversity protection
• For UPSC aspirants, Gadgil’s ideas are central to understanding:
  • Western Ghats ecology
  • Environmental Impact Assessment
  • Sustainable development models
  • People-centric conservation

Conclusion

Madhav Gadgil’s life reminds India that ecological protection is not merely a technical challenge but a moral and democratic responsibility. His legacy endures in India’s environmental institutions, laws, and the continuing struggle to balance development with ecological limits.