The 37-year-old part-time government employee in the southern coastal state said she has no fear of scrambling up a tree of any height to get at the coconuts, a staple among the people.

The hazardous job traditionally has been performed by men in India.

However, Sharmila was forced into the profession because fewer young men are entering it, the Press Trust of India reported.

The report said she tackles 10 to 15 trees a day, earning about 25 U.S. cents a tree.

"As I started taking up the unusual job, my neighbors and people nearby stared at me in disbelief and awe, wondering whether a woman can and should take up the highly risky job," she told the Press Trust of India, adding she has now become a sought after tree climber because of her customer relations.