Essay: Dr M.C. Nandeesha -The Man Who Brought Gender Awareness to the Asian Fisheries Society

The death of Dr Mudnakudu C. Nandeesha in December 2012 at the age of 55 left a deep void in the hearts of many. His personal and professional gifts are very much missed, especially among those who are now active in gender in aquaculture and fisheries. Among many other impacts, Nandeesha made unique and lasting professional contributions to gender awareness and initiated a steadily growing series of gender activities by the Asian Fisheries Society. I know some of the story of what happened because I was personally drawn into these activities by Nandeesha. In this essay, I will recount the history as I saw it happen. It is a good example of what one person, with vision, drive and inter-personal skills can set in train.