Remembering ‘Sir’
In memory of Dr. Prakash Gole
(A heart felt tribute by his student and my colleague in Kalpavriksh, Sharmila Deo - from the latest issue of the Protected Area Update)
An eminent economist and ecologist, an internationally
acclaimed ornithologist, a prolific author of environmental books, and a
visionary with a passion for conservation of nature is how the world knew Dr.
Prakash Gole, our 'Sir' who passed away recently. He edited the Journal of
Ecological Society and his extensive work on conservation and restoration of
wetlands and wetland birds, especially the Bar-headed goose, Sarus crane,
Siberian crane, and the Black necked crane is recognised the world over.
I was fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to
attend the one-year course on 'Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and
Nature Conservation' run by the
Ecological Society, which was established at his initiative in 1982 in Pune.
Along with various conservation and restoration projects that the society
carried out under his leadership, he constantly emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary
learning and developing a holistic view, be it in terms of development,
landscape planning or any other facet of conservation. He motivated hundreds of
people who came to him from various spheres - students from various faculties,
homemakers, and professionals - to study and contribute to the field of
environment.
Our
classes with him were a mix of many things, all united with one goal - love for
the environment. Sir instilled into us that just harbouring a love for nature was
not enough and that each of us had to strive for its conservation as well. He
made us aware of the rampant destruction of the environment in the name of
development, and taught us to observe our consumption levels, both as a
society, and as an individual.
A
man of few words, and not one to give in to banter or futile ‘time-pass’, he
dedicated most of his time in the pursuit of his varied passions – all through
his work. This quality of his was most evident on field trips. After walking in
the Himalayan landscapes for hours, he would announce a lunch break of 10 minutes
and if we had the energy to protest, he would generously extend it to 15. While
most of us utilized that time either eating leisurely or just lying peacefully
under the clear skies, he would be done with his meal of one sandwich in a couple
of minutes and set off immediately to wander around with his binoculars waiting
for his young students to revive.
Although
no one said it in front of him, Sir was not spared the jibes of 'sustainable
living' and 'watching his consumption levels' by seeing how little he actually
needed even to eat. Even after crossing 65 years, his energy and stamina was
commendable. Till date, we cannot discuss or read anything related to Ecology
without Sir's memory fleeting by.
Contact Sharmila Deo at sharmiladeo@gmail.com
(For a full copy of the PA Update please write to me at psekhsaria@gmail.com)
Also check http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.in/2014/02/protected-area-update-no-107-february.html
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