At a time when conversations about development are dominated by technology and stock markets, Pandurang Hegde’s words felt ‘different’.

Accepting the inaugural MP Veerendra Kumar National Thought Leadership Award, the veteran environmentalist stood not in self-congratulation, but in solidarity – with the forests, the farmers, and the faceless foot soldiers of grassroots conservation.

“This is an honour,” he said simply, “as the first award is being given to an ordinary activist like me.” But his humility did not mask the weight of his message. Hegde used the moment to spotlight the unsung efforts of local communities, environmentalists, and small activists

“What do ordinary activists like me and Rajendra Singh get other than ridicule, neglect and tag of anti-development?”

A child of the lush Western Ghats and a key figure in the Appiko Andolan – a southern echo of the iconic Chipko Movement -- Hegde has spent over a decade helping local groups defend their forests from rampant deforestation. 

“Chipko and Appiko are not just symbolic acts,” Hegde reminded the audience. “They are questions. Questions about what we call development.”

He asked, “Does it make sense to eat your own habitat? Today’s government is doing just that,” citing grim statistics: 5.3 trillion tonnes of soil lost annually, 163 million Indians without access to drinking water, and over 100 children dying every day from preventable water-borne diseases. These numbers, he stressed, are not abstract -- they are indictments of a development model driven by greed, not need.

The environmental crisis, in Hegde’s eyes, is as much spiritual as it is scientific. “Peace begins when our cravings end,” he said, reflecting on a world where virtual reality often overshadows actual reality. He invoked Leo Tolstoy’s tale of the land-hungry farmer, drawing a parallel to modern society’s relentless pursuit of more, often at the cost of the earth itself.

Quoting the legacy of Amrita Devi and the Bishnoi tradition of nature worship, he reminded the audience that India once had -- and must rediscover -- a culture that revered trees and lived in harmony with the environment.

While the market’s ups and downs dominate headlines, Hegde lamented how little attention is paid to environmental damage. “If the share market crashes, we cry. But if our rivers dry, our forests fall, we barely move,” he said.

The award, he stressed, was not his alone. “It goes to all those fighting for the Western Ghats. The money and honour are for grassroots activists to be strengthened.” He called on the media to amplify these voices -- those working quietly, and often dangerously, on the frontlines of environmental protection.

We must learn, he said, “how to walk gently on this earth.”