Dr Ganesh Vankhede

Wildlife Service Awards (2010)

Dr. Ganesh Vankhede He has been a protector of wildernesses for over three decades. As head of the post-graduate department of Zoology at the S.G.B Amravati University, he has critiqued several falsified Environment Impact Analysis, or EIA Reports by academicians paid to provide a justification for the destruction of tiger habitats. He has also authored many truthful EIA reports that prevented projects such as the Chikaldhara Pumped Storage Dam and the Upper Tapi Stage II Irrigation Project from destroying the Melghat Tiger Reserve and other wildernesses in Vidarbha.  His 10 PhD and 23 M.Phil students are being oriented to follow his example. Thirteen books and countless published scientific papers later he continues to work close to the ground with the Satpuda Foundation and with students who are currently documenting the ecology of spiders. 

He is knowledgeable, outspoken, generous and courageous in his defence of wildlife. This is why we have honoured him.