Madhav Dhananjaya Gadgil is an Indian ecologist, academic, writer, columnist and the founder of the Centre for Ecological Sciences. He is a former member of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India and the Head of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) of 2010, popularly known as the Gadgil Commission. He is a recipient of the Volvo Environment Prize and the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian award of the Padma Shri in 1981 and followed it up with the third highest award of the Padma Bhushan in 2006.
Madhav Gadgil’s scholarly work has involved extensive interdisciplinary explorations. His first book, This Fissured Land: an Ecological History of India has been translated in Malayalam and Marathi, his other books include Ecology and Equity, Nurturing Biodiversity: An Indian Agenda, Diversity: The cornerstone of life, Ecological Journeys, Ecology is for the People: A Methodology Manual for People’s Biodiversity Registers and Nisarganiyojan Lokasahabhagane in Marathi. He has been elected to all the Science Academies of India, the Third World Academy of Sciences and the U.S. National Academy of Science. He is an Honorary Member of the British Ecological Society and the Ecological Society of America. Madhav Gadgil was awarded the National Environment Fellowship, and the Pew Scholars Award in Environment and Development. He is a recipient of Shantiswarup Bhatnagar and Vikram Sarabhai and H K Firodia Awards, Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar Gold Plaque, Volvo Environment Prize and Harvard University’s GSAS Centennial Medal. Governement of Karnataka conferred on him the Rajyotsava Award in 1983.