I am
moved –- please hold your conscious, do you know this woman or would have felt
that she had done great things changing the society - have more reasons to hail the present Govt and
our Hon’ble Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modiji; always feel that somewhere our
priorities went wrong and that people started looking at only Cine stars,
Cricketers and politicians as heroes and noteworthy persons in the society .. .. every year Padma Awards would be
announced – on gleaning the list would feel that the awardees would be more of
tinsel stars – I have been consistently posting that the Nation need to honour
its Scientists and those who change the society – not those who earn millions
by acting in cinema, playing Cricket but contribute nothing towards Nation
building – the other view offered me to by my friend that ‘Movies’ is arts, entertainment and those successful
deserve such honours. My view is they
earn by acting, players earn by their game – but Nation is more served by
Scientists, Social workers, and many others who silently have been working for
the betterment of the Nation, silently without even thinking of any recompense
or recognition at some level.
Today, the President
of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presented three Padma Vibhushan, six Padma
Bhushan and forty-eight Padma Shri Awards at a Civil Investiture Ceremony held
at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and you are looking at the photo of a Padma Shri
recipient – Saalumarada Thimmakka, by name; she is
old (105!) , had no formal education and worked as a casual labourer in a quarry ! ~
great person !.
Saalumarada
Thimmakka also known as Alada Marada Timakka is an environmentalist from the
state of Karnataka, noted for her work in planting and tending to 385 banyan
trees along a four-kilometre stretch of highway between Hulikal and Kudur. Not many of us have cared to know that a U.S. environmental organisation based in Los
Angeles and Oakland, California called Thimmakka's Resources for Environmental Education
is named after her.
Thimmakka was born
in Gubbi Taluk, Tumukuru District in Karnataka. Her parents were Smt. Vijayamma
and Sri Chikkarangayya. Having been born in poor family, Saalumarada Thimmakka
could never go to school because of utter poverty and lack of facilities. She
was married to Chikkaiah, a native of Hulikal village in the Magadi taluk of
Ramanagar district in Karnataka. She received no formal education and worked as
a casual laborer in a nearby quarry. Saalumarada (row of trees in the Kannada
language) is how she is being referred to because of her work.
The marriage did
not change her social status and she continued to be poor. She perhaps had no
great incentive in live. Later, with her husband’s encouragement
Thimmakka set on a mission to plant as many trees as possible. She planted
trees along 4 KMs stretch from her village Hulikal to Kudoor. She not only
planted those trees but also tended them until they grew into sturdier. The
couple who have believed firmly in planting trees as a great service to the
environment, country and humanity, neither grieve nor glorify their poverty.
After their regular work till the noon, the couple took to tending the trees by
watering, fencing and guarding them. This became her daily routine for many
years. Though this passion of serving the environment did not improve her
financial conditions, she has been recognized massively by the people of the
world as a great environmentalist. Today, Saalumarada Thimmakka stands as an
unique individual who has brought recognition to our state, Karnataka worldwide
by her incredible and massive environmental service.
She had to toil hard for a
fistful of food and poverty became an inseparable of part of her life. The
society looked down upon her as a barren woman with all its harshness and
cruelty which had left her broken and shattered. However with all these, she
has made it her life mission to plant trees with an everlasting concern for the
environment for the past 75 years. She is now 105
years old. She has become a role model to the entire world today.
According to one of
the botanical reports done by a survey, the value of a tree which Thimmakka has
planted is nothing less than Rs. 1,75,00,000. One can only imagine the value of
all those trees that are planted by her and grown into huge trees now. They are
worth several crores of rupees today. Yet, by dedicating all of them in service
of the state and the environment and not expecting any reward in return, she
has taken a life of a pure, selfless service. But, what is unfortunate is that,
she is dependent on a pension of Rs. 500/- given by the government as a sole
source of her income even today. At this old age of 105 years, Thimmakka is
living under the care of Sri Umesh B. N, her foster son. Umesh has also
involved himself in the mission of preserving the environment and has been
planting and tending trees along the roads, in the public places, in the
surroundings of schools and on mountain and hill tops.
He is also
successfully running the “PRITHVI BACHAO” (Save Earth) movement. Also, he runs
his own nursery and distributes plants to those farmers who are interested in
growing trees. He has distributed more than 5 lakh saplings until now. He has
inspired more than 5 lakh students and public to take an oath to preserve
environment. He has given more than 500 lectures of about awareness of
environment preservation. Hundreds of awards have been bestowed Saalumarada
Thimmakka until now. But, with all these she remains a person of innocence and
humility from her. Her name and fame in the world has not affected her humble
nature. She has become a legend of her own order and leads a humble and simple
life even today. By conferring Padma
Shri on her, the Govt has done the award a favour. She is indeed a daughter whose name the
country takes with immense pride.
The government of India has taken the
initiative of including a poem written on Saalumarada Thimmakka in the CBSE
text books, there by recognizing her
invaluable service done to the society and environment. Government of Karnataka
has taken steps to include a chapter in the list of lessons prescribed its
literacy programme.
Delhi settled
comedian, Vasu Ritu Primlani has been accused by Thimmakka of misusing her
name. Ms. Thimmakka had filed a private complaint before the Ramanagaram
Judicial Magistrate First Class (JFMC) court against a non-resident Indian,
Ritu Primlani, for running the organisation named after her for at least 14
years without her consent or knowledge. In 2014, the High Court of Karnataka
adjudicated in Ms Primlani's favor, stating that 'if all the charges against Ms
Primlani were true, they still won't amount to a crime'.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
16th Mar
2019.
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