Renowned environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee Saalumarada Thimmakka, who was admitted to hospital two days ago after complaints of weakness and loss of appetite, passed away on Monday, November 14, at the age of 114. She had been suffering from respiratory issues since 2023.
Known as India’s beloved “tree woman of India,” she was under observation at Apollo Speciality Hospital in Jayanagar. The doctors at Apollo said she had history of cardiac and respiratory ailments and had been undergoing routine follow-up investigations.
Thimmakka considered each tree as her child
Thimmakka got the moniker Saalumarada for her love for trees. It translates to ‘a row of trees’. While she didn’t have any children, she considered each tree as her child. Born in Gubbi Taluk, Karantaka in 1911, she didn’t go to a formal school and began working as a labourer at a young age. She married Sri Bikkala Chikkayya at the age of just 12.
The couple took care of trees as their own children. They started their journey by planting just ten saplings in the first year, along a five-kilometre stretch near the neighbouring village of Kudur. The next year, they planted 15 more, and 20 the year after that. Working with almost no resources, the couple would walk four kilometres each day carrying pails of water to keep the young trees alive, shielding them from grazing cattle with makeshift fences of thorny shrubs.
Over the years, she and her husband Bekal Chikkayya planted and nurtured 384 banyan trees, valued at around Rs 15 lakh now, and is maintained by the Karnataka government. Becoming a symbol of environmental stewardship, she earned national recognition for planting and nurturing more than 8,000 trees along highways.
Recipient of many awards
A recipient of many prestigious awards, such as Nadoja Award, Karnataka Kalpavalli Award, Godfrey Phillip Award and Vishwathama Award, an environmental organisation in the US called Thimmakka’s Resources for Environmental Education is named after her.
Tributes pour in
Her death marks the end of an era. Tributes have been pouring in for her celebrating her extraordinary life dedicated to nurturing thousands of trees.
ವೃಕ್ಷಮಾತೆ ಸಾಲುಮರದ ತಿಮ್ಮಕ್ಕನವರ ನಿಧನದ ಸುದ್ದಿ ತಿಳಿದು ದುಃಖಿತನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ಸಾವಿರಾರು ಗಿಡಗಳನ್ನು ನೆಟ್ಟು, ಅವುಗಳನ್ನು ಮಕ್ಕಳಂತೆ ಸಲಹಿದ ತಿಮ್ಮಕ್ಕನವರು ತಮ್ಮ ಬಹುಪಾಲು ಜೀವಿತ ಕಾಲವನ್ನು ಪರಿಸರ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆಗಾಗಿ ಮುಡಿಪಾಗಿಟ್ಟವರು.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) November 14, 2025
ಇಂದು ತಿಮ್ಮಕ್ಕನವರು ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಅಗಲಿದರೂ ಅವರ ಪರಿಸರ ಪ್ರೇಮ ಅವರನ್ನು ಚಿರಸ್ಥಾಯಿಯಾಗಿಸಿದೆ.… pic.twitter.com/4xYdXQyZUa
“Environmentalist #SaaluMaradaThimmakka (age 114) passed away today. In her lifetime, she has planted over 8,000 trees in total, treating them like her own children, especially after being unable to have children herself. She was awarded Padma Shri in 2019.
Om Shanti 🙏🌱🌿🌳🌲,” read an X tribute.
“Saalu Marada Thimmakka is no more. The “Mother of Trees” who planted and nurtured 8,000+ trees leaves behind an unforgettable legacy. A true icon of Karnataka. Om Shanti. 🌳🙏,” another tribute read.
Deeply saddened to know of the passing away of ‘Padmashri’ Saalumarada Thimmakka, a mother who has ensured many generations to come can breathe clean air, with her selfless service of planting trees.
— Captain Brijesh Chowta ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಬ್ರಿಜೇಶ್ ಚೌಟ (@CaptBrijesh) November 14, 2025
May Almighty grant her sadgati and her life inspire us all to give back to our… pic.twitter.com/rra3qSOdMk
“ಮರಗಳ ತಾಯಿ” ಸಾಲುಮರದ ತಿಮ್ಮಕ್ಕ ಅವರ ನಿಧನ ಮನಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಆಘಾತ ತಂದಿದೆ.
— Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan (@drashwathcn) November 14, 2025
ಪರಿಸರ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆಗೆ ತಮ್ಮ ಬದುಕನ್ನೇ ಸಮರ್ಪಿಸಿದ ತಿಮ್ಮಕ್ಕ ಅವರ ಸೇವೆ ಎಂದಿಗೂ ಮರೆಯಲಾಗದು.
ಅವರು ನೆಟ್ಟ ಹಸಿರು ಗಿಡಗಳಂತೆ ಅವರ ನೆನಪುಗಳೂ ಸದಾ ಜೀವಂತವಾಗಿವೆ.
ಅವರ ಆತ್ಮಕ್ಕೆ ಶಾಂತಿ ಸಿಗಲಿ. ಕುಟುಂಬದವರಿಗೆ ದುಃಖ ಭರಿಸುವ ಧೈರ್ಯ ದೊರಕಲಿ.
ಓಂ ಶಾಂತಿ🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/6HWeil1rhG
