Located alongside the Guindy National Park ecosystem, one of the last surviving stretches of native dry evergreen forest in Chennai, the IIT-M campus has long served as a refuge for wildlife under pressure from shrinking habitats and urban expansion. The blackbuck, a protected antelope species once widely distributed across India, has seen its presence diminish due to habitat fragmentation and human interference.

Citing the latest figures, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the increase reflects a development model that integrates ecological safeguards with infrastructure growth. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reflection in Mann Ki Baat on the rising blackbuck population is a timely reminder that environmental stewardship must remain central to India's development journey," he said in a social media post.

Describing it as a notable example of conservation through institutional commitment, Pradhan said, "At IIT-M, this principle has been translated into practice through carefully designed ecological safeguards, regulated land use, and a campus development model that respects the natural habitat. As a result, the blackbuck population has grown from 12 in 2021 to 77 in 2026."

In his Mann Ki Baat address on Sunday, the Prime Minister pointed to similar conservation gains elsewhere, referring to the reappearance of blackbucks in parts of central India following sustained protection efforts. "Their numbers had dwindled significantly, but continued efforts have led to increased conservation. Today, they are once again seen roaming the open fields," he said.