Tulsi Gowda

Tulsi Gowda is an Indian environmentalist from Honnali village, Ankola Taluk in the State of Karnataka. She joined the forest department as a temporary volunteer, after having worked for over 30 years, she was offered a permanent job in the department because of her dedication to nature preservation, from where she retired at the age of 70. She belongs to the Halakki indigenous tribe in Karnataka and grew up in an economically disadvantaged family. Even though Tulsi Gowda never received any formal education, yet, today she is known around the world as the ‘Encyclopedia of the Forest’ with ‘endless knowledge’ about plants and herbs.

Tulsi Gowda has worked for the cause of the environment for over six decades and has planted more than 30,000 saplings. Her work has been honoured by the Government of India and other organisations. In 2021, the Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award.

Even at the age of 74, Gowda continues to nurture plants and share her oceanic knowledge about them with the younger generation to help spread the importance of environmental conservation.