The mighty Himalayas, synonymous with the Indian subcontinent and a critical ecological and cultural cornerstone of our planet, now face a range of unprecedented challenges. In this lecture, historian and environmentalist Shekhar Pathak delves into the pressing issues of ecological degradation, disaster vulnerabilities, and the far-reaching effects of climate change and overconsumption.

These challenges resonate not just in the Himalayan region but across countries, continents and the planet. Through this talk, we invite the audience to engage with these critical topics through questions and experiences. 

About the speaker 

Shekhar Pathak is a historian, environmentalist, editor, publisher, activist and traveller from the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, India. He is known for his extensive knowledge of colonial and postcolonial social movements, contemporary environmental and social issues in Uttarakhand, and colonial exploration in the Himalayas and Tibet. 

He founded the People’s Association for Himalaya Area Research (PAHAR) in 1983. He is a former professor of History at Kumaun University, Nainital, and a Nehru Fellow at the Centre for Contemporary Studies, New Delhi. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2007. He wrote Kumaon Himalaya: Temptations (1993) and co-authored Asia ki Peeth Per (On Asia’s Back), a biography of Himalayan explorer Pundit Nain Singh Rawat, with Dr Uma Bhatt. Pathak received the KLF Environment Book of the Year Award for Hari Bhari Umeed (2020) and The Chipko Movement: A People’s History (2020). 

Explore our climate change festival Mountains of Life and an international conference to explore the continuing dichotomy between conservation and socio-economic development in the light of this public lecture: