New Delhi, 08 January (H.S.): Renowned environmentalist Madhav Gadgil breathed his last late Wednesday night at his residence in Pune, Maharashtra, aged 82. His son Siddharth Gadgil confirmed the news via a post on X on Thursday, with the last rites scheduled for 4 PM at Pune's Vaikunth Crematorium.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and numerous leaders expressed profound grief.

Gadkari lauded Gadgil's lifelong dedication to sustaining environmental consciousness and conserving Western Ghats biodiversity, noting his contributions earned global acclaim by bridging ecological issues with public awareness—an inspiration for generations and an irreplaceable loss to India.

Kharge mourned the departure of a paramount voice in ecological research, crediting Gadgil with transforming scientific evidence into conservation action. Honored with Padma Bhushan, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, and Karnataka's State Festival Award, Gadgil left indelible marks in research, teaching, and preservation, teaching that sustainable development thrives through science-society bridges.

Fadnavis hailed Gadgil as a trailblazer in India's environmental awakening and Western Ghats protection, architect of the nation's biodiversity laws. Beyond writing and advocacy, he empowered local communities for prudent natural resource use.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi described him as nature and social justice's compassionate voice, imparting that conservation is every societal stratum's duty. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot vowed eternal remembrance of his Western Ghats work; Congress leader Jairam Ramesh called him a top scientist, institution-builder, and traditional knowledge champion.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor termed Gadgil Indian ecology's hero, whose Kerala report sparked vital biodiversity-livelihood debates with enduring foresight. Baramati MP Supriya Sule credited him with laying India's environmentalism foundation, his Ghats legacy priceless amid a void in biodiversity guidance.

Historian Ramachandra Guha portrayed Gadgil as an exemplary scientist-citizen, personal friend, and mentor— an unparalleled blend of erudition, humility, and empathy, not merely a scientist but society's vigilant conscience, his passing a personal bereavement.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar