The Winter Session of the Karnataka legislature began at Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi on December 8, 2025.
| Photo Credit: P. K. Badiger
The winter session of the Karnataka Legislature began on December 8 with the Assembly paying tributes to six persons who died recently, including environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka, Kannada novelist S.L. Bhyrappa and former Minister H.Y. Meti.
Tributes were also paid to Kannada cine actor M.S. Umesh, known for his comedy roles, and former MLAs R.V. Devaraj and Shivasharanappagouda Patil.
Participating in a debate on the obituary motion, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hailed the selfless service of childless couple Saalumarada Thimmakka and her husband who planted saplings along a 4-km stretch of State Highway 94 (SH-94) between Kudur and Hulikal in Karnataka, and nurtured them as their children.
He reiterated that the government of Karnataka would consider setting up a museum in Thimmakka’s name in Belur. He also stated that an award would be instituted in Thimmakka’s name from 2026 to recognise those rendering service in the environmental field.
The Chief Minister described novelist Dr. S. L. Bhyrappa as one of the very popular novelists of the country. “I personally had respect towards him though we had ideological differences,” he stated, and said a memorial would be built in his memory in Mysuru.
He described former minister H. Y. Meti as his loyalist, and said the legislator’s death was a personal loss to him.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H. K. Patil suggested that a lesson on Thimmakka be included in the school textbooks.
Congress MLA H. C. Balakrishna, who represents Magadi, where Thimmakka planted and nurtured the trees, appealed to the government to develop her house as a memorial.
Speaker U. T. Khader and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok too paid tributes to these personalities. A minute’s silence was observed by the House to pay respects to the departed personalities.
Published – December 08, 2025 03:21 pm IST
