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Pune Botanist Hema Sane, Known for Power-Free Life, Dies at 85

Her minimalist choices predated mainstream climate discourse.

Overview

  • She died on September 19 in Pune at age 85, with her body at Sassoon Hospital and last rites scheduled for Sunday, according to a close caregiver.
  • She taught botany at Abasaheb Garware College from 1962 until retiring in 2000 and was locally known as the 'Encyclopedia of Plants.'
  • She authored more than 30 works, including titles on medicinal plants, plant morphology and anatomy, sustainable development, and the role of trees in Buddhist tradition.
  • She earned a PhD from Pune University and later completed an MPhil in Indology.
  • She lived her entire life in a Budhwar Peth wada without electricity, shared the space with animals and birds, and had declined hospital care during her final illness.