Renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil passed away at 82 in Pune after a brief illness. Known for his work on the Western Ghats, he received the UN's Champions of the Earth award in 2024. Gadgil advocated for strict environmental restrictions in sensitive areas, including bans on new construction and quarrying, to avert disasters. He criticized development models that imposed mining and polluting industries on communities without consent, and also noted authoritarian approaches in conservation efforts.