Vinod Kumar Mehra

Pioneer of India's environmental movement through grassroots conservation initiatives

Dr. Vinod Kumar Mehra (1928-1998) was an Indian botanist and environmentalist who founded the Kanha Ecological Society in 1962. His work in Madhya Pradesh led to the creation of India's first community-managed forest reserves, involving local tribes in conservation. He developed the 'Participatory Forest Management' model adopted nationwide by 1975. Mehra's 1968 report to the Indian Parliament exposed illegal logging practices, leading to the Forest Conservation Act of 1980. His research on medicinal plants preserved over 300 indigenous species. The Vinod Mehra Memorial Scholarship continues funding environmental studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University.