The Saga of Saalumarada Thimmakka
Category
Local Heroes & Everyday Saviors
Era / Tenure
Active Era
Leaderboard Rank
#17 in Local Heroes & Everyday Saviors
Verified Hearts
44,500 Hearts
ORIGINS & FORMATIVE YEARS
Roots, Upbringing & Early Influences
Born in Gubbi taluk in Tumakuru district, Karnataka, Thimmakka received no formal education and worked as a quarry laborer. Married to Chikkaiah, the couple faced severe social stigma and ridicule in their rural village because they were unable to bear biological children.
THE STRUGGLE & HARDSHIPS
Facing Adversity, Rejections & The Grind
Rather than succumbing to sorrow and social rejection, Thimmakka and her husband resolved to adopt nature as their offspring. In a barren four-kilometer stretch of road between Kudur and Hulikal, they decided to plant and foster banyan saplings in a harsh climate with zero municipal water supply.
Key Milestone & Career Defining Moment
Known as 'Saalumarada' (meaning 'row of trees' in Kannada), she was conferred the Padma Shri in 2019 at over a hundred years of age, blessing the President of India during the ceremony.
