Salim Ali

By Illa Vij

SALIM Ali was one of the greatest Indian naturalists and a well-known ornithologist, ecologist, teacher, writer and explorer. Known for his determination and great love for birds, he made numerous achievements that amazed many.

Salim was born into a well-to-do family of Bombay. He was the tenth and the youngest child of the family. Unfortunately, he was only 10 years old when he lost his parents. In his childhood, Salim was greatly influenced by his uncle Amiruddin Tyabji, who was a sportsman, and often went out for hunting. Salim was presented with an air-gun by his uncle. One day, Salim shot a bird and brought it home. He carefully studied it and wanted further details which his uncle could not provide.

Amiruddin sent the young boy to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). There, Salim was delighted to see a large number of birds, and thereafter his interest in birds was kindled. As a student, Salim did not fair well in his studies. He just managed to pass his school, and it was equally tough to sail through college. Seeing his attitude towards studies his brother asked him to be his business partner. Salim accepted the offer and sailed out to Burma, where he looked after his brother’s timber and Wolfram business. Salim often went into remote forests to select good wood, and during these trips, he spent hours watching birds and other animals in the forest.

Due to his passion for birds and lack of interest in business, the business failed and Salim, along with his wife Tehmina, returned to India. In 1927, he got a job at Bombay’s Prince of Wales Museum. Two years later, he went to Berlin University’s Zoological Museum, to study ornithology.

When he returned to India, he was jobless. He could not get a government job, as he did not have a college degree. In spite of being jobless, he continued to find great joy in watching birds! His wife supported him throughout and shared his interest.

The couple moved to a small cottage in Kihim, a coastal village near Bombay. It seemed to be the right place for observing nature. His wife never pressurised him to take up a job and he never did.

In 1930, he started working for the BNHS, but without a salary. He was paid to cope with the expenses that involved his ornithological surveys.

He toured countrywide, exploring and studying nature, ecology, birds and their habitats. His reports were printed in the BNHS journals.These journals were read in many parts of the world, and people all over came to know about his achievements. Tehmina was a great support and she accompanied him on all his expeditions. In 1939, Salim lost his beloved wife and it took him some time to get back to his normal work.

In 1941, Salim published The Book of Indian Birds,which was highly appreciated and widely read. He also wrote the 10-volume Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. This he wrote with the help of zoologist S. Dillon Ripley. The royalties that he received from the books, helped him to pay off his old debts. Later in life as his earnings increased, he generously granted scholarships to students.

In 1976, Salim received the Paul Getty wildlife conservation prize, worth $ 50,000. He donated the amount to a conservation research fund at the BNHS. Along with birds, Salim had a passion for motorbikes and enjoyed driving, and that too at a great speed. He even took his bike on some of his visits abroad, and toured around on it. Otherwise, he lived a simple life. He was against drinking, smoking and ate simply, and in small quantities.

Salim, an inspiring guide to Ph.D. scholars, worked tirelessly. He enjoyed writing letters to people and sharing his experiences with them. He even wrote to the villagers who he knew could not reply. He had a tremendous flair for writing. His work was included in an anthology entitled Indian Masters of English.

Salim was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan and three honorary doctorates. He made incredible contributions in the field of ornithology and ecology. He also wrote an autobiography titled The Fall of a Sparrow. He died in 1987, leaving behind a cherished desire for setting up an ornithological institute in Bombay.