Tulsi Gowda, an 86-year-old Padma Shri awardee and environmentalist from Karnataka, passed away in her Honnali village home in Uttara Kannada district. Revered as the "tree goddess" by the Halakki tribal community, she was known for her dedication to environmental conservation. Born in 1944, Gowda overcame early hardships, including losing her father at two and growing up in poverty. She worked as a laborer at a forest nursery, gaining deep knowledge of forests despite no formal education. Known as the "encyclopedia of forest," she identified mother trees and contributed significantly to afforestation, wildlife protection, and preventing forest fires. She served the Karnataka Forest Department for 50 years, 35 years as a daily wage worker and 15 as a permanent staff member.
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