Padma Shri awardee ‘Saalumarada’ Thimmakka no more

Bengaluru: Padma Shri awardee and environmentalist ‘Saalumarada’ Thimmakka died at a private hospital here on Friday.

Thimmakka was ailing for quite some time and was hospitalised for treatment where she breathed her last today, her family sources said.

Born on June 30, 1911, Thimmakka earned the fame ‘Saalumarada’ after she planted 385 banyan trees all along the 4.5 km stretch between Hulikal and Kudur in Ramanagara headquartered Bengaluru South district.

With no formal education, Thimmakka started the plantation campaign as she treated them as her children to fill the void in life for being childless.

For her work, she received 12 awards, including Padma Shri in 2019, Nadoja award by the Hampi University (2010), National Citizen Award (1995) and Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra award (1997).

Mourning her demise, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the funeral of Thimmakka will be conducted with full state honours.

He said the family has shortlisted two or three locations for her funeral, and the venue will be finalised shortly.

In his condolence message, Siddaramaiah said, "I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the demise of Salumarada Thimmakka. Thimmakka, who planted thousands of trees and nurtured them like her own children, dedicated most of her life to environmental conservation." He said even though Thimmakka had left for the heavenly abode, her love for the environment has made her immortal.

The region has become poorer with the demise of Thimmakka, he added.

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, his son and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Karnataka ministers, MPs and MLAs and several political leaders mourned the demise of Thimmakka.