Gadgil was the recipient of the 2024 Champions of the Earth Award, the United Nation’s highest environmental honor, for his lifelong contributions to community-centred environmental conservation and ecological research.

Over a six-decade career, Gadgil championed the integration of science, traditional knowledge and public participation in environmental governance. Widely known as the “people’s scientist,” he advocated policies that protected forests, wetlands and biodiversity while safeguarding the rights and livelihoods of indigenous and marginalized communities.

Gadgil founded the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and helped establish modern ecological research in India, including introducing evolutionary approaches to the study of animal behaviour and ecology. His work influenced national environmental policy, notably through recommendations for the conservation of the Western Ghats, and he frequently spoke out against environmentally destructive dams and mining projects. Gadgil authored more than 200 scientific papers and several books, leaving a lasting legacy in ecology, conservation and environmental policy before his passing in January 2026.

(Photo: Mathrubhumi)