[10] Thimmakka was born in Gubbi Taluk of Kingdom of Mysore, presently in Tumakuru district of Karnataka.

She was married to Chikkaiah, a native of Hulikal village in the Magadi taluk of Ramanagara district in Karnataka.

Ten saplings were grafted in the first year and they were planted along a distance of 5 km near the neighbouring village of Kudur.

[8] She has also been involved in other social activity like constructing a tank to store rainwater for the annual fair held in her village.

[8] In 1999, a documentary titled Thimmakka Mathu 284 Makkalu was made on her work and it featured in the 2000 International Film Festival of India.

[19] In 2016, Saalumarada Thimmakka was listed by British Broadcasting Corporation as one of the most influential and inspirational women of the world.

[20] Delhi settled comedian, Ritu Vasu Primlani has been accused by Thimmakka of misusing her name.

Ms. Thimmakka had filed a private complaint before the Ramanagara Judicial Magistrate First Class (JFMC) court on 9 May against a non-resident Indian, Ritu Primlani, for running the organisation named after her for at least 14 years without her consent or knowledge.

[22] Thimmakka's adopted son, Umesh has claimed that the organisation misuses her name to collect donations.

[23] Following the complaint, a policeman arrived at Alliance Francaise and Jagriti in Bangalore, venues where Ms Primlani was performing her shows, to take her into custody.