Padma Shri awardee Tulsi Gowda, known as 'Vruksha Maate' (Mother of Trees), passed away aged 86 at her residence in Karnataka's Karwar district on Monday. She was renowned for planting and nurturing lakhs of trees in her vicinity. Condoling her demise, PM Narendra Modi tweeted, "She will always remain a guiding light for environmental protection."