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A thread on Salim Ali
The legendary Bird man of India
Dr. Salim Ali was orphaned at the age of 10.
He stayed with his maternal uncle in Mumbai.
He dropped out college to go to Burma to assist family in business and never got to complete a college degree.
Yes read that right
The legendary Bird man of India
Dr. Salim Ali was orphaned at the age of 10.
He stayed with his maternal uncle in Mumbai.
He dropped out college to go to Burma to assist family in business and never got to complete a college degree.
Yes read that right
He got mentored in Ornithology by Dr Irvin Strassman, a world famous ornithologist who lived in Germany.
He was an avid Biker and had an NSU, a Sunbeam, and 3 models of Harley Davidson, a Douglas, a Scott, a new Hudson and a Zenith
He was an avid Biker and had an NSU, a Sunbeam, and 3 models of Harley Davidson, a Douglas, a Scott, a new Hudson and a Zenith
His first paper was published in 1930, on weaver birds. His work gave him name in Ornithological circles and he got work for surveying and documenting birds of different princely state, BNHS use to bear expenses of camping and traveling
The 10 volume set ‘Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan’ is Salim Ali’s magnum opus in collaboration with S. Dillon Ripley.
First published in 1948, this set is the most comprehensive collection of birds in the subcontinent.
First published in 1948, this set is the most comprehensive collection of birds in the subcontinent.
Anything you want to know about a species is there. Salim Ali collaborated with world-famous ornithologist S. Dillon Ripley to put together this ten volume set. It is still considered to be one of the most comprehensive works on Indian Birds.
Very punctual and a frugal eater, he use to spend very less time on eating and his assistants in team, use to worry about getting a scolding if they spent too much time eating.
Salim Ali's interventions and inputs to then Indian PM Mrs. Indira Gandhi were responsible for declaring Bharatpur, Chilka , Silent Valley in Kerala, as well as for preparing ecological model for Andaman and Nicobar, India also became a member of Ramsar convention on his behest
Salim Ali's connection with Indira Gandhi began even before they met each other, in AUg 1941, Salim Ali gifted Nehru his book of Indian Birds when Nehru was in Dehradun Jail, the foreword she wrote in 1959 for this book mentioned that " Like most Indians I took birds for granted
until my father sent me Dr. Salim Ali's delightful book from Dehra Dun jail and opened my eyes to an entirely new world. Only then, did I realize how much I had been missing.
Bird watching is one of the most absorbing and rewarding activities. First, one learns to distinguish
Bird watching is one of the most absorbing and rewarding activities. First, one learns to distinguish
the different species, their nesting habits and their calls. Then gradually one realizes that birds are also little individuals each with his own characteristics.
[…] We are fortunate still to be able to live amongst birds even in our cities.
[…] We are fortunate still to be able to live amongst birds even in our cities.
Fierce explorer at heart, him at the age of 85 on May 27 1981 Dillon Ripley wrote to the prime minister that S he wanted to travel to a ridge between Tirap and Lohit districts in Arunachal Pradesh (Now Namdhapa ) as he had firm belief that the area was full of biodiversity
He went to Namdhapa twice with Dillon S Ripley
to Namdhapa. in 1985 he was made member of Rajya Sabha. AN honour which not many naturalists have recieved, in 1987 he brreathed his last and was 91 year Old
to Namdhapa. in 1985 he was made member of Rajya Sabha. AN honour which not many naturalists have recieved, in 1987 he brreathed his last and was 91 year Old
three other members of his extended family built great reputations as naturalists themselves-- Humayun Abdulali, Zafar Futehally and Rauf Ali.
