Kollakkayil Devaki Amma

Kollakkayil Devaki Amma (born ) is an Indian woman who began to grow a forest after a car crash prevented her from farming. The forest now covers 4.5 acres and has over 3,000 trees. She has received several awards for her work, including the Nari Shakti Puraskar.

Early life Devaki Amma was born in Muthukulam in Alappuzha district, Kerala. A love of horticulture was inspired by her grandfather. In 1980, Devaki Amma was involved in a serious car crash, which left her bed-ridden for three years.

Forest After she recovered from the crash, Devaki Amma was unable to work in the paddy fields so she began to plant trees in her back garden. Over time this project developed into a 4.5 acre forest. Devaki Amma worked for over thirty five years on the forest mostly on her own, using cows, buffalo and oxen, and harvesting rainwater. On the national level she has received the Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra award and the Nari Shakti Puraskar. The latter was given to her by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.