- Edited and Published by S.K Nair Director Edutech Foundation - Bangalore
An environmentalist of Karnataka noted for planting banyan tree along four kilometres stretch of highway between Hulikal and Kudur!
Thimakka, popularly known as ‘Salumarada Marada Thimmakka’, had planted more than 10000 trees, with the support of her husband and other villagers. Her name was listed by British Broadcasting Corporation BBC as one of the ‘most influential and inspirational women of the world’. She didn’t get any formal education. She was working as casual labour in a quarry nearby.
Thimmakka was born in Gubbi Taluk, Tumukuru District in Karnataka. She was married to Bikkala Chikkayya, a native of Hulikal village (he died in 1991) in Magadi taluk of Ramanagar district in Karnataka. The couple could not have children. Thimmakka adoped Sri Umesh as her son later. It is said that Thimmakka started to plant banyan trees in lieu of children. The name Saalumarada is the one she was referred to because of her dedicated work in planting Banayan trees.
Her work has been honored with the National Citizen's Award of India and was recognized by the Government of India. She was conferred with ‘Padma Shri’ in 2019.
Banayan Trees coming under the family Ficus were plenty near Hulikal village in Karnataka. Thimakka and her husband started grafting saplings from these trees. Ten saplings were grafted in the first year and they were planted along a distance of 5 km near the neighbouring village of Kudur. 15 saplings were planted in the second year and 20 in the third year. She used her meager resources for planting these trees. The couple used to carry water for a distance of four kilometers to water the saplings. They were also protected from grazing cattle by fencing them with thorny shrubs.
The saplings were planted mostly during monsoon season so that sufficient rainwater would be available for them to grow. In total 385 trees were planted within a couple of years and their asset value has been assessed at around 1.5 million rupees. The ownership and management of these trees have been taken over by the Government of Karnataka.
The 385 banyan trees planted and nurtured by her came under threat of being chopped down for the widening of Bagepalli - Halaguru road in 2019. Thimmakka requested the Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara to reconsider the project. As a result, the government decided to look for alternatives to save the 70 years old trees.
An Environmental organisation based in Los Angeles and Oakland, California called Thimmakka's Resources for Environmental Education named after her. In 2016, Saalumarada Thimmakka was listed by British Broadcasting Corporation as one of the most influential and inspirational women of the world.
Saalumarada Thimakka has been conferred with the following awards.
SK NAIR - BANGALORE
