Dr Ramesh Madav is the Founder and Chairman of Terracon Ecotech. He is also the Chairman of Environment & Biotechnology Foundation (ENBITECH), an NGO he founded 31 years ago. He is a renowned expert in the areas of urban ecology and environmental planning. He is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner (CERP) recognized by SERI (Society for Ecological Restoration International). He completed his Post-graduation in Agriculture from Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Maharashtra in 1982. He was awarded Doctorate in Environmental Science from University of Pune in 2000. His strengths includes acquaintance with Government’s agricultural development programs and schemes, identification of environmental stresses and evolving eco-friendly sustainable agricultural development, environmental impacts assessment and recommendation of mitigation measures and outstanding management capability. Dr Madav was a team member for the development of guidelines for Green belts in and around industrial complexes for Central Pollution Control Board. He is also an authority in greenbelt designing for industrial complexes in India and tree inventory using GPS system. He also initiated a project - Plantation with Purpose, which aims to plant 1 crore saplings of various, but essentially, native species, which will serve with various purpose of ecosystem enhancement, community support, food security, combating climate change etc. He has also led the team toward inventorisation of water bodies in MMR region other than Greater Mumbai to document the baseline data for features, status and facilities around more than 2200 water bodies. He was instrumental in standardising methodology for biodiversity surveys by urban local bodies (municipal corporations) and industrial establishments. He led the team that developed India’s first Biodiversity Management Plans (BMPs), Local Biodiversity Strategy, and Action Plan (LBSAP). Dr Madav has also spearheaded efforts to understand the regional biodiversity profile and calculated India’s first biodiversity index using the protocol developed by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in collaboration with the National Parks’ Board, Singapore. He is also the approved Environmental Coordinator (EC) by NABET (QCI) for undertaking Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) studies and preparing Environment Management Plans (EMPs). He is passionate about natural resources conservation and ecosystem restoration activities. He has travelled extensively across the globe for presenting his work in ecology, biodiversity and restoration of degraded natural resources. It is usual to spot Dr Madav attending dramas and concerts in and around Mumbai with unrelenting admiration for classical music and Marathi theatre, (age is just a number!). He also likes teaching and mentoring young minds.