Karnataka’s environment and forest ambassador, Salumarada Thimmakka, who was known for her simplicity and child-like nature, breathed her last here on Friday.
The 114-year-old environmentalist had been admitted to Apollo Hospital Jayanagar since November 2 for exacerbation of bronchial asthma and lower respiratory tract infection. She suffered a multi-organ failure due to prolonged illness and passed away at noon.
“I am called by many names, but the first was Salumarada Ajji because of the trees I had planted,” she told TNIE during her interactions. She planted 385 banyan trees all by herself along a 4 km stretch of the State Highway-94 between Hulikal and Kuddur. “I had no children.
When my husband used to go to work, I would be alone, and that was when I took to planting trees. I took care of them like my children. That was when everyone started calling me Salumarada Thimmakka,” she had said.
Though not sure of her exact birth date, her birthday was usually celebrated on June 30, 1911. From Gubbi taluk, she was married to Bikkala Chikkayya when she was 19 years old.
A museum to honour her to come up in Belur
She then moved to Hukilal village in Magadi taluk. Over the years, she planted 8,000 trees of other species on the same stretch. But in 2019, the State
Government had proposed to chop her favourite trees to widen the highway connecting Hassan. When Thimmakka and local residents protested, the plan was dropped and the stretch was declared protected with the title Green Highway.
She lost her husband in 1991. To overcome her loneliness, in 1996 she adopted Umesh BN, son of Nagesh and Padmavathi, who are residents of Belur taluk in Hassan. “Soon after Ajji adopted me, I moved to her house. Now I do not know what to do, where to go. I am orphaned. I just hope everyone carries forward the legacy she created. This was what she expressed in her last message from the hospital to all,” Umesh said.
Realising the environmental knowledge she had, the State Government introduced chapters in school textbooks in 2004.
She had received 12 major honours, including the Padma Shri under the social service category in 2019. At the award ceremony, she became popular for her innocence and simplicity as she blessed former President Ram Nath Kovind while accepting the award. He too bent down and paid respects to her.
Known as 'Vruksha Mata', she received the National Citizens Award in 1995, the Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Award in 1997 and the Nadoja Award from Hampi University in 2010. She was one of the BBC’s 100 most influential women in 2016. She also received an honorary doctorate from Central University of Karnataka in 2020.
The state government had honoured her with a house and a BDA site in Bengaluru.
Soon after the demise of Salumarada Thimmakka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the hospital and announced that a museum, honouring her will, be created in Belur.
Soon after her demise, her mortal remains were taken to her village, Hulikal, for local residents to pay respects. She was later taken to Belur, Umesh’s village. Her mortal remains will be kept at Ravindra Kalakshetra from 7.30-10.30 am, Saturday, for people to pay their respects. She will be laid to rest with full state honours at Jnana Bharathi Campus, Kaladhama, Mysuru Road at noon on Saturday.