The celebrated environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee died at a private hospital in Jayanagar due to age-related ailments.
Karnataka’s beloved environmentalist Salumarada Thimmakka, often hailed as the “Mother of Trees,” passed away today at the age of 114. She breathed her last at a private hospital in Jayanagar, Bengaluru, where she was being treated for age-related ailments. Hospital authorities confirmed that despite medical care, her health had been fragile for the past few days, leading to her demise early today.
Thimmakka, born in Gubbi Taluk of Tumakuru district, gained national and international recognition for her remarkable contribution to the environment. Alongside her husband Chikkaiah, she planted and nurtured 385 banyan trees along a 4-km stretch between Hulikal and Kudur. Over the decades, she went on to care for and inspire the planting of over 8,000 trees, earning her the affectionate title Salumarada (meaning “rows of trees”).
Her dedication to green activism was widely appreciated, and she received numerous awards, including the Padma Shri in 2019, Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, and several international honours for environmental conservation. She became a symbol of grassroots environmentalism, often addressing public events and guiding young environmental groups across Karnataka.
A U.S.-based environmental nonprofit operating out of Los Angeles and Oakland has been named “Thimmakka’s Resources for Environmental Education” in her honour.
In 2020, the Central University of Karnataka recognised her lifelong environmental service by conferring an honorary doctorate on her.
Her life story, from being an unlettered daily wage labourer to a globally recognised environmental figure, moved millions. She advocated simple, practical steps toward environmental protection, always emphasising that anyone can bring change with dedication and consistency.
Leaders from across the state and country are expected to offer condolences, as Karnataka mourns the loss of one of its most inspiring daughters. Details of her last rites are expected to be announced shortly.