Saalumarada Thimmakka Biography 
Saalumarada Thimmakka is an Indian environmentalist from the state of Karnataka. This 106-year-old woman from Karnataka, has single-handedly planted thousands of trees over 65 years, and has taken efforts to spread awareness about deforestation. She takes care of trees like children and her efforts have been honoured many times. In 2019 she became one among five Padma Shri nominees from Karnataka. She has been conferred with Padma Shri this year for her efforts towards environment conservation. She has been loved for her continuous efforts at planting saplings in several places across the state. She is also a recipient of National Citizen's Award of India.
Saalumarada Thimmakka is fondly called Alada Marada Timakka. She hails from Gubbi, Tumkur, Karnataka. She got married to a labourer named Chikkaiah from Magadi taluk of Ramanagar district. With formal education she worked as labourer in a nearby quarry. The couple didn’t have any children. Thimmakka started to plant banyan trees in lieu of children, and started to nurse them as her own children. She now has a foster son Umesh who appreciates her efforts. Thimmakka's Resources for Environmental Education – a US based environmental organization is named after her.
It all started from 384 banyan trees that she planted and nurtured near Kudur. Thimakka and her husband started grafting saplings from banyan trees as they were available in plenty in their neighbourhood. The saplings were planted along a distance of 5 km near the neighbouring village of Kudur. In a work spanning seven decades, she planted plants across Karnataka. She planted 385 banyan trees along a 4-km stretch of highway between Hulikal and Kudur. She mostly chooses monsoon season to plant saplings.
Published: February 19, 2019
Updated: February 19, 2019
