Dhananjay Ramchandra Gadgil Biography 
Dhananjay Ramchandra Gadgil, also known as D. R. Gadgil was a prominent ecologist of 20th century, and the master mind behind Gadgil formula. He was also known as institution builder. He was the founder Director of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune, and also served as the vice-chairman of the Planning Commission of India during the Fourth and Fifth Five Year Plans of India. He gave some significant contributions in the development of Farmers' Cooperative movement in Maharashtra. Padma Bhushan Madhav Gadgil and famous ecologist best known for Gadgil report on Western Ghats in 2011 is his son.
Dhananjay Ramchandra Gadgil hailed from Nasik, Maharashtra. He lived during the period, 10 April 1901 - 3 May 1971. His father’s name is Ramchandra Bhargav. His ancestral roots are from Kongan. He did his early studies from Nagpur and advanced studies from Mumbai. He also took Master’s degree from Cambridge University. His dissertation work, The Industrial Evolution of India in Recent Times was published as a book in 1924. He obtained DLitt (Honoris Causa) and then returned to India. Gadgil joined the Maharashtra government service, but he discontinued very soon and later took teaching as his profession.
He got associated with Servants of India Society of Gopal Krishna Gokhale. When the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) was established in Pune in 1930, he became its founder director. He also served as a member and president of Indian Economic Association in the 1940s before Indian independence. After 1947, he got involved with the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement and the cooperative sector for which he is known most. A commemorative postage stamp was released in his honour in 2008.
Published: August 30, 2018
Updated: August 30, 2018
