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Dr. Malali Gowda's Profile
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Dr. Malali Gowda hails from a farming family at Anuganalu village in Karnataka. He completed the under graduation and post graduation from the University of Agriculture, Bangalore. He pursued his Ph.D in molecular biology from the Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, Gujarat. His enthusiasm and dedicated efforts towards his interest brought him prestigious national fellowships from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for his higher studies. Since 2002, he is working as a researcher in gene discovery projects in rice and maize at Ohio State University. He has published several research articles in various journals and books (http://www.bcrt.org/CV.htm).
Dr. Gowda's native place (Anuganalu) was previously surrounded by forest with a balanced ecosystem which was gradually cleared indiscriminately. Due to large-scale deforestation by human activities, he witnessed the degradation of forest ecosystem. He recognized that mountain range bordering his village is part of Western Ghats, which is one of the 'biodiversity hot-spot' in the world. His passion for science and memories of undisturbed natural ecosystem around Anuganalu triggered Dr. Malali Gowda towards rejuvenating the degraded forest ecosystem. He took up the work with the co-operation of his fellow farmers using age-old tree planting method (called afforestation). To support the cause, he founded a grass root level, non-profit organization called Biodiversity Conservation Research Trust (BCRT) at Anuganalu using local farmers force. Dr. Gowda undertook this mission when he was a Ph. D student at Baroda. His passion to bring back greenery to the hills, and uninterrupted motivation transformed barren rocky land into forest vegetation within five years. Dr. Gowda is the driving force behind all the activities of BCRT which include tree-based agriculture, conserving and promoting local medicines via Healers (Nati Vaidhya's), rainwater harvesting, hills and mountains restoration, ecological awareness and agriculture workshops for farmers and school children's. Many farmers, students and researchers have visited BCRT and are in praise for its work. The organisation's eco-activities are attracting likeminded people across the globe. Through their efforts Dr. Gowda and his team have shown how local knowledge and global vision could be used to protect and enhance nature in the vicinity. Dr. Malali Gowda and his team's mission at BCRT might lead towards a 'Forest Green Revolution' in the state.
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