Madhav Gadgil, Old hand ecologist, died at the age of 83 after a brief illness. He known for his work on the Western Ghats. His efforts also shaped grassroots environmentalism in India. Madhav Gadgil also involved in the drafting of India’s Biological Diversity Act.

Famous Environmentalist in India  

Sunderlal Bahuguna: The leader of the Chipko forest conservation movement

Medha Patkar  famous for the “Narmada Bachao Aandolan”.

Salim Ali: The “Birdman of India”. A devoted ornithologist and naturalist.

Rajendra Singh: “Waterman of India”, known for efficient water management and harvesting.

Jadav Payeng, the “Forest Man of India

M. C. Mehta: A public interest attorney. MC Mehta is responsible for several landmark judgments in the arena of environmental law in India.

LEARNING FROM HOME/ WITHOUT CLASSES/ BASICS

Older than the Himalaya mountains, The Western Ghats, also known as the Sahyadri Hills. Well known for their rich and unique assemblage of flora and fauna. Norman Myers included the Western Ghats amongst the 25 biodiversity hot-spots identified in the world.

The Western Ghats extend from the Satpura Range in the north, go south past Goa, through Karnataka and into Kerala and Tamil Nadu end at Kanyakumari embracing Indian ocean. The northern portion of the narrow coastal plain between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea known as the Konkan Coast or simply Konkan. The central portion called Kanara. And the southern portion called Malabar region or the Malabar Coast. At 2695m, Mt Anamudi in Kerala is the highest peak in the Western Ghats.

The Western Ghats considered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has exceptionally high level of biological diversity (refer to the total number of different species on Earth) and endemism (a species which is only found in a given region or location and nowhere else in the world). These mountains cover an area of around 140,000 km² in a 1,600 km long stretch, interrupted only by the 30 km Palghat Gap.