Tulasi Gowda: Meet 'Encyclopedia of forest' honored with Padma Shri

Tulasi Gowda, who is also known as the 'Encyclopedia of the forest', has a vast knowledge of diverse species plants and herbs and was also named as one of the recipients of the prestigious Padma Shri Award. The 72-year-old has nurtured more than 40,000 trees so far and still continues to nurture them and share her knowledge with the people to carry forward the message of environment protection. According to reports, she belongs to the Honalli village in Karnataka and is from the Halakki tribe. 

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Gowda has been working for mother nature for the past six decades. While speaking to a local media outlet, a local resident said that she was actively also involved in the afforestation programme conducted by the forest department after which her service was regularised and now her pension is her only source of livelihood. 

Even without a formal education, she knows the minutest detail of the sapling she has planted, the time it will take to grow, the amount of water required and the medicinal properties too. She has left no stone unturned top spread awareness among people about conservation of forests. Her economic status could also not deter her from pursuing what she felt was important as she has planted and nurtured thousands of trees over the past 60 years. 

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According to a local media outlet, environmentalist Dr Yellappa Reddy has also acknowledged Gowda's contribution to environment conservation and called her concern towards nature 'extraordinary'. He further reportedly said that she knows how to treat rare ethnic varieties. She single-handedly also tackled poachers and stopped forest fires. Reddy added that her contribution to the conservation of Western Ghat forest is 'immeasurable'. 

'Nation's Jewels'

Padma Awards is one of the highest civilians honours of the country, conferred in three categories namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. 

Union Minister Piyush Goyal recently also shared a video tribute to the 'heroes' who received the prestigious award. 

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