Sadgati, Padma Bhushan Dr Madhav Gadgil, 83 [24 May 1942 – 7 January 2026]. Ecologist, Academic, writer, columnist. Founder, Centre for Ecological Sciences and Centre for Theoretical Studies, Indian Institute of Science; Chairman, IISc. Chairman, Western Ghats Gadgil Commission. Chairman of the Science and Technology Advisory Panel of Global Environment Facility, UN. Recipient – Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize; Harvard Centennial Medal; Volvo Environment Prize; Tyler Prize; Champion of the Earth 2024. Doctoral research on mathematical ecology and fish behaviour. Elaeocarpus gadgilii, a tree species described in 2021 from the Nelliampathy hills in Palakkad district of Kerala, India named in honour of him.
His books include: Diversity – The cornerstone of life; Ecological Journeys; Science, democracy and ecology in India. Together with other authors: This Fissured Land; Ecology and Equity: The Use and Abuse of Nature in Contemporary India; Nurturing Biodiversity: An Indian Agenda.
Sadgati, GVSS Srinivas, 60, alumnus of APRJC. My classmate. Mathematician, who opted MSc Mathematics in IIT, rather than the usual engineering.
Dr Meenesh Shah gets extension at Dairy Board as its Chair. 3.5 years more. Congratulations, sir.
Do the SHGs need an institution a la Dairy Board? Academic institutions like IRMA-TSU? For professionals; governance; theories of changes, policy advocacy; and value-chains – value-chain efforts, aggregation, quality control, labelling, brands. Shared services, and platforms. Taking, going to prosperity of the poor, erstwhile poor, from reducing poverty.
Studies indicate: face attracts more than anything else; heartbeats synchronize for people in love looking into each other’s eyes; hugging reduces pain, depression, sadness, and anxiety.
Are we, our systems, and our contemporary cultural ethos, rewarding dysregulation, emotional dysregulation? Reactions disproportionate to a situation – extreme anger, anxiety, sadness et al; exceeding one’s window of tolerance; struggling to calm down after being upset; persistent stress; trouble sleeping et al. Long hours as dedication; chronic urgency as leadership; rapid context switching as competence, and so on and so forth. Incidentally, this emotional labour stabilizes the system; prevents disruption; allows continuation of operations, without addressing underlying structural strain.
Yes, we and our bodies are capable of handling stress, if allowed to recover. If hyperactivity is occasional; If urgencies are exceptions; if our systems, internal systems, and nervous systems return to equilibrium very quickly; if alertness is not default; if rest and breath are not full; if joy is not rare and intermittent; if capacity does not diminish. Can we have these capable, useful bodies, systems, hearts, and minds?
With increased life expectancy, life span, well-being, connectivity et al, the work phase stretches to 5-6 decades to most of us. As we cross three decades of working life, the transitions should let us have these freedoms, choices, and options. Highly useful, relevant, and rewarding internally, externally. Maybe now, and into eternity. In total sync. In all dimensions, beyond the arrows, contexts, capitals, and spaces.
Yes, we can. If we coexist, flowing. Taking us inside into ourselves. In N? aviyogayoga for 7L.