Padma Shri Awardee 'Vrikshamata' Tulsi Gowda passes away
Ankola: Tulsi Gowda, popularly known as the 'Vrikshamata' (Mother of Trees), passed away at the age of 86 at her home due to age related ailments in Honnalli village, Ankola taluk, on Monday evening.
Tulsi js survived by two children and four grandchildren.
Tulsi Gowda earned her nickname by planting and nurturing millions of trees over decades, dedicating her life to environmental conservation. Known for planting over thirty thousand saplings annually, she contributed significantly to reforesting barren lands and promoting greenery. Her efforts earned her the prestigious Padma Shri Award from the Indian government.
Despite facing personal challenges, including losing her husband at a young age and raising two children as a widow, Tulsi joined the Forest Department as a daily wage worker. Her passion for nature turned her job into a lifelong mission. She collected seeds, cultivated saplings, and reforested vast areas, which led to her becoming a symbol of environmental dedication.
Tulsi Gowda, a member of the Halakki tribal community, possessed remarkable knowledge of trees, their uses, and their care. Her expertise surpassed that of many professionals, and forest scientists often marveled at her understanding of sapling production and seed care. She grew trees like mango, banyan, and jackfruit while promoting eco-friendly species to combat environmental degradation.
Her selfless commitment to the environment extended beyond her retirement. Even in her later years, she continued nurturing plants in the forests near her home. Visitors from across the state sought her guidance and inspiration, recognizing her as a beacon of environmental consciousness.
Tulsi Gowda's contributions were celebrated with numerous accolades, including the Indira Priyadarshini Vriksha Mitra Award, the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award (1999), Smt. Kavita Memorial award, Indavalu H. Honnaiah social service Award and several other honors for her tireless work in environmental conservation. She continued her mission even while living a modest life, relying on a small pension and the support of her two sons, who work as laborers.
Tulsi often expressed concern over the environmental degradation caused by modern practices like the widespread planting of acacia, which she believed harmed groundwater levels. She advocated for the cultivation of traditional, eco-friendly trees, urging society to prioritize sustainable practices.
Tulsi Gowda's legacy lives on in the countless trees she planted and the lives she inspired to protect the environment for future generations.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
