‘Vrukshamathe’ Saalumarada Thimmakka passes away at 114

BENGALURU/TUMAKURU: Renowned environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka, popularly known as ‘Vrukshamathe’ for planting trees along the roadsides, has passed away at the age of 114 at Apollo Hospital in Jayanagar, Bengaluru on Friday.

She was born on June 30, 1911, in Gubbi taluk of Tumakur district. She loved trees and plants as her own children.

Thimmakka was honoured with the National Citizen Award in 1995, the Indira Priyadarshini ‘Vrukshamathe’ Award in 1997, the Vīrachakra Award, the Padma Shri in 2019, the Rajyotsava Award, the Nadoja Award, and a doctorate from Karnataka Central University in 2020.

ವೃಕ್ಷಮಾತೆ ಸಾಲುಮರದ ತಿಮ್ಮಕ್ಕನವರ ನಿಧನದ ಸುದ್ದಿ ತಿಳಿದು ದುಃಖಿತನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ಸಾವಿರಾರು ಗಿಡಗಳನ್ನು ನೆಟ್ಟು, ಅವುಗಳನ್ನು ಮಕ್ಕಳಂತೆ ಸಲಹಿದ ತಿಮ್ಮಕ್ಕನವರು ತಮ್ಮ ಬಹುಪಾಲು ಜೀವಿತ ಕಾಲವನ್ನು ಪರಿಸರ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆಗಾಗಿ ಮುಡಿಪಾಗಿಟ್ಟವರು.

ಇಂದು ತಿಮ್ಮಕ್ಕನವರು ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಅಗಲಿದರೂ ಅವರ ಪರಿಸರ ಪ್ರೇಮ ಅವರನ್ನು ಚಿರಸ್ಥಾಯಿಯಾಗಿಸಿದೆ.… pic.twitter.com/cxe2nX7sdq

— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) November 14, 2025

She also received the Karnataka Kalpavalli Award in 2000, the Godfrey Phillips Bravery Award in 2006, the Pampapathi Environment Award, the Babasaheb Ambedkar Award, the Vanamathe Award, the Magadi Person Award, the Srimata Award, the H Honnayya Social Service Award, the Karnataka Environment Award, the Mahila Ratna Award, the National Citizen Award, the Vishalakshi Award from the Art of Living organisation, a certificate from the Karnataka Department of Women and Child Welfare, and a commendation certificate from the Indian Institute of Tree Science and Technology.