Thimmakka ’blesses’ President, receives Padma award

www.mangaloretoday.com

Mangaluru, March 17, 2019: Centenarian Saalumarada Thimmakka, who has earned the sobriquet of ‘Vriksha Mathe’ for planting thousands of trees in Karnataka, received the Padmashri award from President Ram Nath Kovind on March 16, Saturday.

The Civil Investiture Ceremony, organised at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, to present the awards. The President conferred Padma awards on a total of 54 personalities.   In the special function marked by strict protocols of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Thimmakka affectionately touched the President’s forehead to bless him with a smile on her face as he asked her to face the camera after conferring Padmashri on her.

While Thimmakka’s innocuous move brought a smile on the faces of the President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was also present on the occasion, all the guests burst into a rapturous applause for her.

As many as 112 ‘inspiring’ personalities were selected for this year’s Padma awards and their names were announced on the eve of the Republic Day.