Tulsi Gowda, a 72-year-old tribal woman from Karnataka, was conferred India's fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri award on Monday for her contribution towards protecting the environment. She was barefoot and dressed in a traditional attire when she received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind during a ceremony in New Delhi on Monday.

Belonging to the Halakki indigenous tribe in Karnataka, Tulsi Gowda hails from a poor and disadvantaged family. Despite not having any access to formal education, she, due to her vast knowledge of diverse species of plants and herbs is today popularly known as the 'Encyclopedia of the Forest'. Padma Shri Awards 2020: From ‘Langar Baba’ Jagdish Lal Ahuja to ‘Encyclopedia of Forest' Tulasi Gowda, Unsung Heroes in Prestigious Award List

Since the age of 12, Tulsi has planted thousands of saplings in her lifetime and has been involved in multiple environmental conservation activities. She joined the forest department as a temporary volunteer, where she was recognised for her dedication to nature preservation. She was later offered a permanent position in the department.

Today, even at the age of 72, Tulsi Gowda continues to nurture herbs and share her vast knowledge with the younger generation to promote the importance of environmental conservation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 09, 2021 04:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).