Gadgil's communities are natural allies

For a Harvard-trained scientist working at a top-tier institution like IISc, it would have been easy for Madhav Gadgil to remain confined to labs, conferences and government panels. But Gadgil, one of the world's most influential ecologists who passed away earlier this week, thought differently. He moved effortlessly among these spaces and farmers, forest residents and young students, patiently revealing the deep, often fragile, connections between people and nature. Resisting labels such as 'pro-conservation' or 'anti-development', Gadgil placed people at the centre of ecological thinking. He argued that local communities were not obstacles to conservation but its most vital stewards.

He was also an institution builder and mentor. Gadgil established Centre for Ecological Sciences at IISc, and like a banyan tree, he offered shade, stability and a meeting ground for generations of ecologists. He chaired Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, which called for treating the range as a single ecological entity and regulating environmentally destructive activities. The report triggered a political storm. But subsequent floods and landslides in the region have only underscored the prescience of its warnings.

Among Gadgil's most enduring contributions was his work on People's Biodiversity Registers. Long before 'citizen science' became a buzzword, he envisioned communities documenting their ecological knowledge. These registers sought to rebuild fading connections between people and their landscapes, nurturing pride in local natural heritage. In a world increasingly shaped by climate change, Gadgil's vision of environmentalism - participatory, humane, and grounded equally in science and justice - remains profoundly relevant.