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Telangana environmentalist, Padma Shri awardee Daripalli Ramaiah dies at 87
Called the ‘tree-man’ of Telangana, Ramaiah embarked on a lifetime mission of developing plantation and conservation of trees, while undertaking agriculture in his native Reddipalli village
Popular green crusader of Telangana and Padma Shri awardee Daripalli Ramaiah died at the age of 87 in Khammam on Saturday morning following a cardiac arrest, his family members announced.
Popularly known as “Vanajeevi Ramaiah” (forest dweller Ramaiah), the nature lover is survived by his wife, Janakamma, and four sons. “He was suffering from age-related issues for quite some time and suffered a heart attack at his residence in Reddipalli village early in the morning. He was shifted to Khammam government hospital, where he was declared brought dead on arrival,” Janakamma told local reporters.
Also, called the “tree-man” of Telangana, Ramaiah embarked on a lifetime mission of developing plantation and conservation of trees, while undertaking agriculture in his native Reddipalli village. “He planted one crore saplings in different parts of Khammam district and even used part of his three-acre land to grow trees,” said Satyanarayana, a local villager.
He added that Ramaiah used to wear a green board around his neck with the slogan, “Vriksho Rakshati Rakshita,” (Save tree, it will save you) written on it, as he used to go around places to spread awareness. He was often seen riding his bicycle with seeds and saplings in his bag and sowing them, wherever he would find a barren land, Satyanarayana said.
“Ramaiah studied till Class 10. But due to his passion, he read countless books on plants and became a self-taught expert,” he added.
Ramaiah received the Padma Shri award in 2017 for his contribution to expanding the tree cover in the region. “He used to go to far-off places, including Hyderabad and different parts of Telangana, to promote the Telangana government’s ‘Haritha Haram’ programme,” the villager said, adding that the Telangana government included his story in the school syllabus last year.
The Haritha Haram is a flagship programme of the government of Telangana that aimed at increasing the green cover in the state. The name Haritha Haram in Telugu means “green garland”.
Tributes for the environmentalist poured in from several prominent political leaders and the Telangana governor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the demise of Ramaiah. “Daripalli Ramaiah Garu will be remembered as a champion of sustainability. He devoted his life to planting and protecting lakhs of trees. His tireless efforts reflected a deep love for nature and care for future generations. His work will keep motivating our youth in their quest to build a greener planet. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti,” he posted on X.
Telangana governor Jishnu Dev Varma also expressed deep sorrow over the Padma Shri awardee’s death. In his message, the governor said that Ramaiah was a true son of the soil whose unwavering commitment to environmental conservation and afforestation has left a profound impact on Telangana and beyond.
“His lifelong dedication to planting and nurturing trees stands as a testament to the power of individual action in protecting nature. He will always be remembered for his selfless service and deep love for the environment,” Varma said in a statement.
Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy said that Ramaiah strongly believed that survival of mankind is impossible without nature and environment.
“Ramaiah launched plantation as an individual and influenced the entire society,” the CM said, adding that the Padma Shri awardee inspired the youth by dedicating his entire life to environmental protection. He said the death of “Vanajeevi” is an irreparable loss to the society and conveyed deep sympathies to the bereaved family members.
Deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka took to X and wrote: “The death of Daripalli Ramaiah, who changed his family name to Vanajeevi, and creating records that earned him the Padma Shri award, is an irreparable loss to the state and the country.”
Bharat Rashtra Samithi president and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu also condoled the death of Ramaiah.
