She is Karnataka’s Tree Goddess: How Padma Shri 'Vruksha Mathe' turned a 4.5-km barren highway into green paradise people enjoy today

Karnataka’s Tree Goddess: Saalumarada Thimmakka, Karnataka's 'Tree Goddess', transformed a barren roadside into a 4.5km green corridor by planting 385 banyan trees. Driven by a deep connection with nature and a desire to nurture life, her selfless dedication, starting in the 1950s, inspired millions and earned her national honours, leaving a lasting legacy of grassroots conservation.