Famous Indian Environmental Activists

Baba Amte was an Indian activist and social worker best remembered for his work that aimed at empowering people suffering from leprosy. Dubbed the modern Gandhi of India, Amte received several prestigious awards, such as the Gandhi Peace Prize, Dr. Ambedkar International Award, Ramon Magsaysay Award, and the Padma Vibhushan.

Medha Patkar is an Indian social activist known for her work concerning several issues raised by farmers, tribes, women, and laborers facing injustice in India. She is also known for popularizing the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) movement which opposes the construction of large dams across the Narmada River. Medha Patkar is the recipient of many awards including the Mother Teresa Award.

Sunderlal Bahuguna was an Indian environmentalist best remembered for his involvement in the Chipko movement. The movement, which aims at conserving forests, received a major boost after Bahuguna created the slogan ecology is the permanent economy. The movement inspired similar movements across India. Sunderlal Bahuguna is also remembered for leading the anti-Tehri Dam movement.

Indian environmental activist and physicist Vandana Shiva is known for her anti-GMO campaigns. The Gandhi of grain is the founder of RFSTN, which promotes sustainable agriculture, and is against globalization. She developed an interest in environmentalism after witnessing a forest at her hometown being cleared for a project.

Indian polymath and environmentalist K. Shivaram Karanth, who enriched Kannada literature with his novels and plays, was named the "Rabindranath Tagore of Modern India" by Ramachandra Guha. He had quit college to join the Non-Cooperation Movement and later returned his Padma Bhushan to protest against the Emergency of the 1970s.

Chandi Prasad Bhatt is an Indian social activist and environmentalist best known for founding the Dasholi Gram Swarajya Sangh (DGSS) in 1964. DGSS gave rise to the famous Chipko Movement for which Bhatt was honored with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982. In 2005, he was awarded India's third-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan.

Pradip Krishen is an Indian environmentalist and filmmaker renowned for directing the 1989 TV film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones which has acquired a cult status since its release. Starting from 1995, Krishen became known for his work as an environmentalist. He is currently leading a team of horticulturists to restore a set of sand dunes in Rajasthan.

G. D. Agrawal was an Indian environmentalist, engineer, monk, and professor. A patron of Ganga Mahasabha, Agrawal is remembered for protesting against the approval of several projects on River Ganga. On 22 June 2018, he started fasting to exert pressure on the government to clean and save River Ganga. He continued his fast until his death on 11 October 2018.

Anil Kumar Agarwal was an Indian environmentalist best remembered for founding a Delhi-based research institute named Centre for Science and Environment, which is currently led by another popular environmentalist Sunita Narain. Anil Kumar Agarwal's work as an environmentalist was recognized by the government of India as he was honored with the prestigious Padma Bhushan award in 2002.