Padma Shri awardee, Indian environmentalist Tulasi Gowda, passes away

KARWAR: Padma Shri awardee Tulasi Gowda, an environmentalist from Honnali village who dedicated her life to nurturing nature and fondly known as ‘Encyclopedia of the Forest’,  passed away at her residence today. She was 86 years old and had been suffering from age-related ailments.

Tulasi Gowda was known for her remarkable work in planting and nurturing over 30,000 saplings every year. She had planted and taken care of lakhs of trees throughout her life.

Tulasi Gowda hailed from the Halakki tribal community. After losing her husband at a young age, Tulasi Gowda joined the Forest Department as a daily wager to support her two children, Subraya and Somi. She is survived by four grandchildren.

While working in the Forest Department, she took care of the plants and trees without expecting any salary. She also collected seeds from the forest and created saplings, which she then planted in the forest, silently contributing to the green revolution.

Her remarkable contributions were recognized by the Government of India and various organizations. In 2021, she was honoured with the Padma Shri, the nation’s fourth-highest civilian award.

She is known as the ‘Encyclopedia of the Forest’ for her unparalleled ability to identify the mother tree of any species; she remains an inspiration to the farming community and environmentalists alike.