Environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka had made herself and India proud to such an extent that even the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) knew her. The reason for her fame is that she had planted over 8,000 trees in 80 years. She had earned herself a spot in the prestigious list of BBCs 100 most influential women.
She was the oldest woman on the list for planning the 8,000 trees to fill the void that had been left after she realized she could not bear children. She had also won the prestigious Padma Shri.
Read: Tulasi Gowda – Growing Forests One Tree At a Time
How it all began?
Born in a poor family of Hulikal village in Magadi Taluk, Ramnagar, Karnataka, she never had the opportunity to go to school or have any kind of formal education. She was known by the name of Thimmaka during her childhood. She started working at an early age as a quarry labourer.
In 1928 she was married to Bikkala Chikkayya who was a labourer himself. After several years of marriage when the couple could not have any children, to fill the emptiness in their life the couple decide to plant banyan trees and raise them as their kids. This is when it all started.
In 1948, Thimmakka along with her husband made up their mind to plant trees from their village in Hulikal to Kudoor. Thimmakka and her husband thus commenced a journey of pure dedication, untiring, and unselfish love of planting trees and nourishing them till they bore fruit.
From Thimmakka to Saalumarada Thimmakka
Thimmaka and her husband decided to plant trees from their village to the next village, Kudoor. The choose a stretch of 4 km and there were no trees at all in the locality. Since there were plenty of banyan trees near her village the couple decided to plant the trees along the roadside.
They planted 10 young banyan plants in the first year and increased the number to 15 in the second and 20 the year after. The couple not only planted them but tended them to maturity while protecting them from herbivorous animals by fencing around them with thorny bushes.
Every morning after finishing their regular work the couple watered the plants as a part of their daily routine and when they used to run out of the water, they used to fetch it from nearby ponds and wells. They used to cover the whole stretch on their feet watering the plant while returning on their way back home.
They planted the young saplings during the monsoon season so that they could have adequate water for their growth. The couple went to the hardship out of sheer passion for helping the environment and humanity. This never changed their financial status but they never lamented on their poverty nor flaunted about their work.
An undying passion
Thimmakka’s husband passed away in 1991 but that did not discourage her in any way. She pursued her mission with the same determination and courage. In spite of the fact that heavy rain had washed away her house that year, she with the help of well-wishers managed to rebuild the mud house and applied for a widow pension of merely 75 rupees at that time.
In Kannada language rows of trees are known as Saalumarada. It was then that Thimmakka was given the name Saalumarada Thimmakka. It was given to respect her work towards planting the trees and saving the environment, and the hardship the couple faced during the process. The management of the trees these days is taken care of by the Government of Karnataka.
Additional community services by Thimmakka
She had done much more than planting trees. She was actively involved in the state and national environmental protection campaign.
Thimmakka was also involved in many other social activities. This includes building a rainwater storage tank for the annual function of her village. She had set up a trust for building up a hospital in her village.
Saalumarada had been an active campaigner in circulating the message of afforestation. She believed every human being on earth should plant trees. She faced a life of financial struggle. However, this never deterred her spirit from helping mankind.
Accreditations and Citations of Saalumarada Thimmakka
Saalumarada Thimmaka had been a role model for environmentalists all over the world. In 2016, BBC included her in their list of top 100 influential and inspiring women. She was a great example who showed the world how uneducated women can make a big difference to the betterment of society. She achieved all these with sheer passion and undaunted hard work.
Padma Shri Award
Thimmaka was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in the country in 2019. It was at the age of 106 that the mother of trees got the award. However, she will be fondly remembered while receiving the award for a protocol violation which the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind considers as a touching moment.
When the President handed over the award, Thimmakka, put her palm over the President’s forehead as a gesture of blessing. Watch the video below:
In addition to Padma Shri, Saalumarada Thimmakka was
- Padma Shri
- National Citizen Award by Government of India
- Gait Free Brabiency National award
- National Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Award by Government of India
- Karnataka Rajyothsava Puraskar
- The NADOJA award, Hampi University in
- INDIRA RATNA Puraskar
- Karnataka Rajya Parisara Award
- Women Empowerment Award
- The GREEN MOTHER Award
- PARISARA PRIYADARSHINI Puraskar
- Mother of Tree Award
- Jagajyothi Basavanna Puraskar
- Dr B. R. Ambedkar State Award
- Green India Puraskar
- Sahara India Puraskar
- Padma Shri in 2019
Saalumarada Thimmakka breathed her last at the age of 114 on November 14th, 2025 in Bengaluru. Until then she lived with her foster son Umesh. She is an inspiration to every woman the society labeled as barren. The green crusader bestowed society and mankind with hard work, patience, and undying love for the environment.