Rotary Vandana Award 2019 Conferred on Thimmakka & Ramakrishna Mission
Mangaluru : Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at Mangaluru Press Club, Rtn. Dr. B. Devdas Rai, the Chairman of Vandana Awards Committee said, “Eminent Environmentalist Bengaluru based Padmashree Salumarada Thimmakka and Ramakrishna Mission, Mangaluru have been chosen for the prestigious state level Rotary Annual “Vandana Award-2019″ in recognition of their invaluable contributions, in the field of Environmental protection and Empowerment”.
Rtn Rai further said, “The award is jointly instituted by Rotary Club of Mangalore Central and Rotaract Club of Mangalore City, which is being conferred on Padmashree Salumarada Thimmaka and Ramakrishna Mission, Mangaluru in appreciation of their exemplary achievements in the field of Environmental Empowerment. The award comprises of a citation, plaque and memento. CEO, D.K. Zilla Panchayath Dr. Selvamani will grace the occasion as Chief Guest and will felicitate the Awardees in a function to be held on Friday 26.04.2019 at 8.00 pm at Hotel Ocean Pearl, Mangaluru. President of Rotary Club of Mangalore Central Rtn. PP Santhosh Shet will preside over the function. Rotary Dist. Asst. Governor Rtn. Kiran Prasad Rai and Dist. Rotaract representative Elect Rtr. Ganesh G T will be the guests of honour on this occasion”.
Rotary Club and Rotaract Club annually confer their prestigious state level Vandana Award to the achievers in the field of sports, literature, Industry, business, Banking, Music, Science, Art, Culture and Social Service as a part of their Vocational Service projects. The Vandana Awards started in 2005, during which the 2004-2005 Vandana Awards were given to : Ananda Shetty, Dr Shantharam Shetty, Prof G R Pai, Pradeep Kalkura, Navaneeth Shetty, B R Bhat, and Vandana Pai; 2005-2006 – Dr M Mohan Alva, A Sadanand Shetty, N Mogasale, Harsha, and Big I N Rai; 2006-2007- Prof B M Hegde, Prof Dr N R Shetty, Dr M N Rajendra Kumar, Amritha Someshwara, Ramakrishna, and Harekala Hajabba; 2007-2008- Justice Santhosh Hegde;2008-2009- Padmashree Chandrashekar B S; 2009-2010-Gurukiran; 2010-2011- Padmashree Kadri Gopalnath; 2011-2012- A J Shetty; 2012-2013- Kasargod Chinna, and Mobility Centre for the Blind; 2013-2014- Dr B R Shetty; 2014-2015-Javagal Srinath; 2015-2016- Dr Sashikiran Shetty; 2016-2017- P Jayaram Bhat and Manohar Prasad; and 2017-2018- Devdas Kapikad, and Naveen D Padil
Rotary Club Past President Rtn. Santhosh Shet, Secretary Rtn. Joel Lobo, and Rotaract President Rtr. Ganesh G T were present in the press meet.
About Padmashree Saalumarada Thimmakka :
Saalumarada Thimmakka also known as Aalada Marada Timakka is an Indian environmentalist from Bengaluru, noted for her work in planting and tending to 385 banyan trees along a four-kilometre stretch of highway between Hulikal and Kudur. She has also planted nearly 8000 other trees. Her story is that of grit and determination. She reportedly wanted to commit suicide when she was in her 40’s as she was unable to bear a child. With the support of her husband, she found solace in planting trees. She received no formal education and worked as a casual laborer in a nearby quarry. Her work has been honoured with the National Citizen’s Award of India. Her work was recognized by the Government of India and she was conferred with Padma Shri in 2019. A U.S. environmental organisation based in Los Angeles and Oakland, California called Thimmakka’s Resources for Environmental Education is named after her.
For her achievement, Thimmakka has been conferred with these awards and citations: The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presented the Padma Shri Award to Saalumarada Thimakka, at an Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 16, 2019; Nadoja Award By Hampi University- 2010; National Citizen’s award – 1995; Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Awards – 1997 (Vrikshamitra-“friend of trees”); Veerachakra Prashasthi Award – 1997; Honour Certificate from the Women and Child Welfare Department, Government of Karnataka; Certificate of Appreciation from the Indian Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bangalore; Karnataka Kalpavalli Award – 2000; Godfrey Phillips Bravery Award – 2006; Vishalakshi Award by Art of Living Organisation; Vishwathma Award by Hoovinahole Foundation -2015; One of BBC’s 100 Women in 2016; Honoured with She’s Divine Award by I and You Being Together Foundation 2017; Parisara Rathana award; Green champion award; and Vrikshamatha award
Today, Thimmakka is invited to many afforestation programs in India. She has also been involved in other social activity like constructing a tank to store rainwater for the annual fair held in her village. She also has a dream of constructing a hospital in her village in remembrance of her husband and a trust has been set up for this purpose. In 2016, Saalumarada Thimmakka was listed by British Broadcasting Corporation as one of the most influential and inspirational women of the world.
