Padma Shri Awardee Saalumarada Thimmakka Hospitalised In Bengaluru

Noted environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee Saalumarada Thimmakka, renowned for her extraordinary tree-planting efforts, has been admitted to a private hospital in Bengaluru for medical treatment. On Tuesday, Thimmaka, aged 112, was admitted to a private hospital in the Jayanagar area due to respiratory issues. Her condition is being closely monitored in the hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) due to the severity of her respiratory problems.

Born in Gubbi taluk, Tumkur, Thimmakka's journey to fame began as a labourer at a quarry, where she found solace in planting trees alongside her husband. Their mission to nurture and grow trees eventually led to Thimmakka planting an impressive 385 banyan trees and 8,000 other trees over the span of 80 years. Her tireless dedication to environmental conservation earned her the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2019. Not having children of her own, she lovingly referred to her trees as her "green children."

In 1995, Thimmakka's contributions to the environment were officially recognized when she was awarded the National Citizen's Award of India. Her impact has also reached international shores, with a US-based environmental organization named "Thimmakka's Resources for Environmental Education" in Los Angeles and Oakland, California, in her honor. Additionally, the Central University of Karnataka bestowed an honorary doctorate upon Thimmakka in 2020 for her remarkable efforts in conservation.

After her husband's passed away in 1991, Thimmakka continued to devote herself to her passion for environmental preservation. She marked her 111th birthday on June 30, celebrated at Dr. BR Ambedkar Bhavan in Bengaluru, where she is lauded for planting trees along a 45-kilometer stretch of highway between Hulikal and Kudur. Nature enthusiasts have called for this stretch to be declared a conservation reserve.

In 2019, this stretch of trees faced the threat of being impacted by a proposed road-widening project. Thimmakka's tireless efforts bore fruit when she approached the then Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, urging them to reconsider the project. Responding to her plea, the government explored alternatives to safeguard Thimmakka's beloved trees.

Recently, the Karnataka government had also presented Thimmakka with a Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) site measuring 50 x 80 dimensions in Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout on her birthday.