Padma Shri Saalumarada Thimmakka Passes Away at 114: Green Crusader Who Planted Over 8,000 Trees

Padma Shri awardee and renowned environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka passed away in Bengaluru at the age of 114, marking the end of an extraordinary life devoted to afforestation and grassroots conservation. Widely celebrated for planting and nurturing 385 banyan trees along a 4.5km stretch between Hulikal and Kudur in Karnataka and for caring for more than 8,000 trees overall, she became a national symbol of environmental stewardship and sustainable living.​

Who was Saalumarada Thimmakka?

Born on June 30, 1911, in Karnataka’s Tumakuru district, Thimmakka began planting saplings with her husband, Sri Chikkaiah, turning to trees as a source of purpose and healing in the absence of children. Her work earned her the honorific “Saalumarada,” meaning “row of trees,” for the famed banyan avenue she nurtured.​

Beyond the banyans, her decades-long efforts included community water initiatives and advocacy for preserving heritage trees, which are acts that inspired environmental programs across Karnataka and beyond.​

Life, achievements & awards

Thimmakka received the Padma Shri in 2019, among at least a dozen major honours, including the National Citizen Award (1995), Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Award (1997), and the Nadoja Award (2010). A US-based non-profit, Thimmakka’s Resources for Environmental Education, was named in her honour.​

Her legacy prompted state initiatives to safeguard mature avenues; notably, appeals she made in 2019 helped spur reconsideration of highway-widening plans that threatened her banyan corridor.​

Tributes pour in for Padma Shri environmentalist

Thimmakka died in Bengaluru after a period of illness; she had been under observation for age-related and respiratory ailments, according to local reports. News of her passing drew condolences from Karnataka’s leadership and environmental circles, who hailed her as an “eternal inspiration” for living simply and serving nature.​

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called her love for nature “immortal,” while the state’s environment minister noted that arboretums and other commemorations bear her name, underscoring her influence on policy and public memory.

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