Written by: Express News Service
2 min readPuneNov 28, 2013 05:49 AM IST
First published on: Nov 28, 2013 at 05:49 AM IST
Veteran ornothologist and economist Prakash Gole (75) passed away in the city following a brief illness on Wednesday morning. He was known for his pioneering work on environment conservation and education.
Gole held a masters degree in economics and had worked for Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics for sometime after his graduation. He had also written a book on Indian history during the same time period. In 1963,he started a group Outward Bound Pioneers Club,from where he started his work in the field of environment conservation and education.
Botanist and environmentalist S D Mahajan remembered him as a friend,genius and a visionary. “No one would now believe that an economist by training later ventured into ornithology and became respected across the world. Some of his key contributions are establishment of Ecological Society in 1982,which runs a one-year diploma course in Sustainable Management of Natural Resources.” Gole has also worked with legendary ornithologist Salim Ali. Mahajan said,“A very rare bird,Black Necked Crane,which was declared extinct from India by Salim Ali was found by Gole in Arunachal Pradesh around late 1980s. His work on Sarus Cranes,Siberian Cranes,Wetland conservation is respected world over.”
Gole is survived by his wife Swati Gole,a retired professor of geography,son Tejas Gole,daughter Rajas Phadke and their families. Last rites were performed at Vaikunth crematorium on Wednesday afternoon.
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