India, Jan. 9 -- Veteran ecologist Madhav Gadgil has consistently argued that environmental conservation in India must place human life and livelihoods at its core, especially those of forest-dependent and marginalised communities. A strong advocate of biodiversity protection, Gadgil has opposed rigid, protectionist conservation models that, he says, elevate animal rights above human survival and dignity.

Best known for heading the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, Gadgil has for decades pushed for a democratic, decentralised and community-led approach to wildlife governance. Over the past two years, he has repeatedly sought permission for regulated hunting in areas facing excessive wild animal populations, including parts of Pune dist...