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		<title>Mongabay India</title>
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		<link>https://india.mongabay.com/list/obituary/</link>
		<description>India&#039;s environmental science and conservation news</description>
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					<title>Madhav Gadgil: the hub of a wheel, the voice of the Ghats [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/madhav-gadgil-the-hub-of-a-wheel-the-voice-of-the-ghats-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/madhav-gadgil-the-hub-of-a-wheel-the-voice-of-the-ghats-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>18 Feb 2026 14:04:05 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[John Kurien]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[silent valley]]></category>
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					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36946</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Community based conservation, Ecology, Environment, Obituary, People, and Western Ghats]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[On the morning of January 8, as I walked along a beach in Kozhikode with my wife, Ramachandra Guha called with the news of Madhav Gadgil’s passing. He asked whether I might speak about Madhav’s relationship with Kerala — and, inevitably, about Madhav and me. My first instinct was hesitation. Surely there were many who [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[On the morning of January 8, as I walked along a beach in Kozhikode with my wife, Ramachandra Guha called with the news of Madhav Gadgil’s passing. He asked whether I might speak about Madhav’s relationship with Kerala — and, inevitably, about Madhav and me. My first instinct was hesitation. Surely there were many who stood closer to him. Madhav had the rare gift of drawing people. Through a call, a letter, an invitation, or a challenge, he would momentarily pull you closer. When the moment passed, you were left  altered by the encounter. I was fortunate to be drawn in more than once. My first such moment came in 1988 at a workshop in Bengaluru organised by our late friend Paul Kurian. It was there that I encountered Madhav alongside Joan Martinez-Alier and Ramachandra Guha. I was then a reluctant academic, working on political ecology in fisheries. My paper on energetics and the marine commons found unexpected resonance with Madhav and Joan, and their encouragement mattered deeply. That workshop also seeded key collaborations between Madhav, Joan, and Ram Guha, that would later shape Indian and global environmental thought. Madhav Gadgil presents at a workshop. Image by Aparajita Dange via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Our interactions continued sporadically but meaningfully. In 1989, Madhav invited me to a deliberation in Bengaluru as part of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Science Advisory Council. We discovered shared concerns — particularly about bottom trawling as an ecologically destructive technology unsuited to tropical seas, regardless&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/madhav-gadgil-the-hub-of-a-wheel-the-voice-of-the-ghats-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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						<item>
					<title>Madhav Gadgil – a scientist, mentor and an institution builder [Obituary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/madhav-gadgil-a-scientist-mentor-and-an-institution-builder-obituary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/madhav-gadgil-a-scientist-mentor-and-an-institution-builder-obituary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>08 Jan 2026 18:11:57 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[S. Gopikrishna Warrier]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Traditional Knowledge]]></category>
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					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36401</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Western Ghats]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Ecology, Environment, Forests, Obituary, People, Western Ghats, Wildlife, and Wildlife Protection Act]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India’s eminent ecologist Madhav Gadgil died on January 7. He was 83. His son Siddhartha Gadgil announced the death through a message to all those who had known and worked with Gadgil. His wife, Sulochana Gadgil, had predeceased him in July 2025. Gadgil died in his home city Pune in Maharashtra. He had done his [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India’s eminent ecologist Madhav Gadgil died on January 7. He was 83. His son Siddhartha Gadgil announced the death through a message to all those who had known and worked with Gadgil. His wife, Sulochana Gadgil, had predeceased him in July 2025. Gadgil died in his home city Pune in Maharashtra. He had done his Bachelor&#8217;s from Fergusson College in Pune and Master&#8217;s from Mumbai University. He went to Harvard for his Ph.D. on mathematical ecology and fish behaviour. However, Gadgil did not restrict himself to being a purist academic, but also wanted to learn from the field and use his knowledge for the benefit of people and communities. His initial work involved the studying of sacred groves in the Western Ghats, after which he moved to studying forest and environment policies. In more recent years, he had become widely known for chairing a panel on the conservation of the Western Ghats. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), former environment minister Jairam Ramesh described Gadgil as a “top-notch academic scientist, a tireless field researcher, a pioneering institution builder, a great communicator, a firm believer in people’s networks and movements, and a friend, philosopher and guide to many for over five decades.” Historian Ramachandra Guha, who had co-authored two books with Gadgil, summarises his unique qualities as a deep knowledge of his land and its people; profound intellectual originality; courage to oppose intellectual fashion; the ability to unite intellectual and practical agendas; strong democratic instincts; and an absence of cynicism.&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/madhav-gadgil-a-scientist-mentor-and-an-institution-builder-obituary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<title>Primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91 [Obituary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/primatologist-jane-goodall-dies-at-91-obituary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/primatologist-jane-goodall-dies-at-91-obituary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>02 Oct 2025 16:19:09 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[S. Gopikrishna Warrier]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[apes]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/10/02170322/jane-goodall-obit2-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=34882</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Mammals, Obituary, People, Primates, and Zoos]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Jane Goodall, internationally-renowned primatologist and conservationist died on October 1 in Los Angeles, USA. She was 91. Goodall earned the respect of the science and conservation community with her work. Rhett Butler, Founder and CEO of Mongabay writes in his obituary: “Over the course of six decades, she moved from an unlikely young researcher in [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Jane Goodall, internationally-renowned primatologist and conservationist died on October 1 in Los Angeles, USA. She was 91. Goodall earned the respect of the science and conservation community with her work. Rhett Butler, Founder and CEO of Mongabay writes in his obituary: “Over the course of six decades, she moved from an unlikely young researcher in the forests of East Africa to one of the most recognizable scientists and conservationists of her time. Her patient fieldwork at Gombe transformed primatology, overturning entrenched beliefs about the uniqueness of humans and forcing science to reckon with animal minds.” She was also an activist in her own way – turning her research findings and learnings into action. Butler continues: “She went on to found the Jane Goodall Institute, launch sanctuaries and community programs across Africa, and inspire millions through her Roots &amp; Shoots movement for young people. Her influence reached far beyond science: she became a United Nations Messenger of Peace, an advocate for animal welfare, and a tireless voice for conservation at a time of mounting global crisis. Yet through all of this she remained known simply as ‘Jane,’ a figure who insisted that hope was not naïve but necessary.” Jane Goodall in the 1960s. Image courtesy of CBS. “Jane Goodall&#8217;s, life was a testament to curiosity, compassion, and unwavering hope,” shares Mohan Alambeth, a retired forest official and conservationist. “In 1960, armed with little more than a notebook and binoculars, she entered the forests of Gombe and changed science forever. Her discovery&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/primatologist-jane-goodall-dies-at-91-obituary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Radheshyam Bishnoi, defender of wildlife in Thar, ‘gone too soon’ [Obituary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/05/radheshyam-bishnoi-defender-of-wildlife-in-thar-gone-too-soon-obituary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/05/radheshyam-bishnoi-defender-of-wildlife-in-thar-gone-too-soon-obituary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>26 May 2025 08:00:56 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Azera Parveen Rahman]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bishnoi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservationist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Great Indian Bustard]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Obituary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thar desert]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/05/25152803/IMG_2111-1200x800-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=32764</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Rajasthan]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Community based conservation, Conservation, Obituary, and Thar Desert]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[To anyone interested in wildlife conservation in the Thar landscape, Radheshyam Pemani Bishnoi is a name that is quite familiar. A young, 28-year-old man from Dholia village in Pokhran, Rajasthan, his passion towards conserving the critically endangered great Indian bustard, rescuing injured birds and animals, and helping forest department officials thwart attempts of poaching, earned [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[To anyone interested in wildlife conservation in the Thar landscape, Radheshyam Pemani Bishnoi is a name that is quite familiar. A young, 28-year-old man from Dholia village in Pokhran, Rajasthan, his passion towards conserving the critically endangered great Indian bustard, rescuing injured birds and animals, and helping forest department officials thwart attempts of poaching, earned him accolades and respect across different quarters. On the night of May 23 this year, Radheshyam lost his life tragically along with three others in a car accident late at night. Along with Radheshyam, Forest Guard Surender Chaudhary, Shyamlal Bishnoi, and Kanwaraj Singh also lost their lives in the accident. They were on their way to foil a deer poaching attempt. For those in the wildlife conservation community, the locals and of course, his family, this loss is irreparable. “I don’t know what to say…this loss is personal,” said wildlife biologist Sumit Dookia, with whose NGO, ERDS (Ecology, Rural Development and Sustainability) Foundation, Radheshyam had been actively involved in for the past many years. Dookia recalled meeting Radheshyam back in 2016 during a training session of local youth living in villages near the Desert National Park (DNP) to work as nature guides. Radheshyam was not among those who attended this training but expressed interest in being a part of the conservation efforts. Thus, began his journey in conserving the great Indian bustard (GIB) and its habitat. Over the years, he became instrumental in protecting GIB habitats, rescuing injured birds, monitoring threats like high-tension power lines&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/05/radheshyam-bishnoi-defender-of-wildlife-in-thar-gone-too-soon-obituary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Steadfast in struggle: The environmental legacy of Vimla Bahuguna [Obituary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/steadfast-in-struggle-the-environmental-legacy-of-vimla-bahuguna-obituary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/steadfast-in-struggle-the-environmental-legacy-of-vimla-bahuguna-obituary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>17 Feb 2025 15:10:37 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rhett Ayers ButlerS. Gopikrishna Warrier]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rhett Butler]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/02/17052357/Vimla-Bahuguna-header-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=31505</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Environment, Obituary, and People]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Vimla Bahuguna, who spent a lifetime defending India&#8217;s forests, empowering women, and championing the rights of the poor, died on February 14, at the age of 93. Her passing, four years after that of her husband, the renowned environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna, marks the gentle passing of a key figure whose work was foundational to some [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Vimla Bahuguna, who spent a lifetime defending India&#8217;s forests, empowering women, and championing the rights of the poor, died on February 14, at the age of 93. Her passing, four years after that of her husband, the renowned environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna, marks the gentle passing of a key figure whose work was foundational to some of India’s most consequential social movements. Born into a well-regarded family in Tehri, in what is now Uttarakhand, she eschewed the comforts of urban life in favour of grassroots activism. Inspired by Sarla Behn, an Englishwoman-turned-Gandhian, she joined the Sarvodaya movement, a vision of upliftment for all, and dedicated herself to the Bhoodan Movement in Bihar in the early 1950s. Led by Vinoba Bhave, this campaign sought to persuade landowners to voluntarily donate land to the landless. Where Bhave spoke of moral duty, Vimla Bahuguna worked on the ground, ensuring that women and Dalits were not forgotten in the land distribution, teaching children, and organising village women to take control of their own lives. Her marriage to Sunderlal Bahuguna cemented a partnership of shared struggle. While he became the public face of India’s environmental movement, her work and vision made their activism sustainable. She embraced the hardship of life in a rural ashram over the privileges of political circles, encouraged her husband to move from politics to social service and led movements of her own while managing their home in Silyara. Their shared commitment to non-violent resistance and environmental advocacy defined their lives, and together,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/steadfast-in-struggle-the-environmental-legacy-of-vimla-bahuguna-obituary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>[Obituary] Kallur Balan: The man who planted a forest</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/obituary-kallur-balan-the-man-who-planted-a-forest/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/obituary-kallur-balan-the-man-who-planted-a-forest/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>11 Feb 2025 22:42:06 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rhett Ayers Butler]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rhett Butler]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/02/11223410/Kallur_Balan-header-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=31467</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Kerala]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Environment, Environmental Heroes, Forests, Nature-based Climate Solutions, Obituary, People, Positive Environmental, and Reforestation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Kallur Balan did not seek recognition. He did not write books, nor command the podium at international climate summits. His work was quieter, the slow and unglamorous toil of one man against the arid land. But when he died in early February, aged 75, the forests he left behind spoke for him. The plots in [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Kallur Balan did not seek recognition. He did not write books, nor command the podium at international climate summits. His work was quieter, the slow and unglamorous toil of one man against the arid land. But when he died in early February, aged 75, the forests he left behind spoke for him. The plots in which he worked in the hills of Palakkad, Thrissur, and Malappuram districts in Kerala, once barren and dry, now teem with life—palm and bamboo, tamarind and neem, birds, monkeys, and the occasional wild pig. The green tide spread by his hands, one sapling at a time, stretched over 100 acres of what was once wasteland. Over his lifetime, he planted some 2.5 million trees, turning desolation into forest. The task took decades. The tools were rudimentary: a bamboo staff, a green lungi, and a lifetime of stubborn devotion. Balan had not been born to such work. The son of a toddy tapper, he spent his early years following his father’s trade. His future might have been much the same, had he not encountered the teachings of Sree Narayana Guru, whose words convinced him to renounce liquor and look elsewhere for purpose. He found it in the trees. What began as a simple habit—planting saplings wherever he could—soon became an obsession. He planted by roadsides, in public spaces, across the hills. He did not merely plant but nurtured, returning to tend each tree like a child. And when he saw that wildlife suffered, he took to&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/obituary-kallur-balan-the-man-who-planted-a-forest/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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