Alappuzha(Kerala), May 24 (BNP): Veteran environmentalist Devaki Amma G will be honoured with the prestigious Padma Shri 2026 for her extraordinary contribution to environmental conservation and afforestation. The 92-year-old conservationist from Muthukulam in Kerala’s Alappuzha district has earned national recognition for transforming barren land into a thriving green ecosystem through decades of tireless dedication.
Over the last four decades, Devaki Amma single-handedly developed a five-acre man-made forest, popularly known as “Tapovanam,” on sandy and once unproductive ancestral land. What began as a personal effort gradually evolved into a self-sustaining ecosystem with thousands of trees, medicinal plants, birds, insects, and aquatic life, making it a model of grassroots environmental restoration.
Recognised among the country’s “unsung heroes,” Devaki Amma has been honoured for her unwavering commitment to biodiversity conservation and afforestation. Despite physical challenges and limited institutional support, she continued planting and nurturing saplings for over 40 years, inspiring generations through her dedication to protecting nature.
Today, Tapovanam serves as a living classroom for students, researchers, and environmental enthusiasts, while also offering medicinal resources to local communities. Devaki Amma’s Padma Shri recognition highlights the importance of individual efforts in ecological preservation and sustainable living.