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Table of Contents
Dubbed the Birdman of India, Salim Moizuddin Ali, also known simply as Salim Ali, has written several books about birds. His works popularized ornithology, the scientific study of birds, in India. Because of his great contributions to the field of Indian ornithology, many species of birds, bird sanctuaries, and institutions have been named after him. He died on June 20, 1987, after a long battle with prostate cancer.
See the fact file below for more information on Salim Ali, or you can download our 24-page Salim Ali worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
EARLY LIFE
- Salim Ali was born on November 12, 1896, in Bombay, India.
- He was the ninth and youngest child of Moizuddin, a patriarch of a Sulaimani Bohra family.
- Unfortunately, Salim Ali’s parents did not witness his achievements later in life, as his father died when Salim was only one year old.
- Meanwhile, his mother, Zeenat-un-nissa, died when Salim was three years old.
- After the deaths of his parents, Salim Ali was raised by Amiruddin Tyabji, his maternal uncle, with the help of Hamida Begum, his aunt who had no child of her own.
- Salim was brought up in a decent middle-class household in Khetwadi, Mumbai.
- Amiruddin, Salim’s foster father and uncle, encouraged him to grow an interest in sport shooting.
- Salim also grew interested in reading books on hunting.
- He then joined local shooting contests in their neighborhood.
- One of his playmates was his distant cousin, Iskandar Mirza, who later became the first President of Pakistan.
- Amiruddin was also a member of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), in which Salim was introduced to the works of the society’s secretary, W.S Millard, particularly his study of birds.
- Millard showed Salim the collection of stuffed birds contained by BNHS.
- Millard lent his books to Salim, offered to train him to skin and preserve birds, and ultimately encouraged him to start his own collection.
- Later on, through Millard, Salim was introduced to Norman Boyd Kinnear, the first paid curator of the BNHS.
- At the early age of 10, Salim began taking notes of his observation on birds; he kept this documentation in his own diary.
EDUCATION
- The primary school that Salim Ali attended was the Zenana and Medical Girls High School, which is now known as Queen Mary School, located in Mumbai.
- He later studied at St. Xavier’s College in Bombay; however, at around 13 years old, he dropped out after suffering recurring headaches that caused him to be frequently absent from his classes.
- After dropping out, Salim went to Burma to supervise his family’s tungsten mine and timber company.
- Since he was surrounded by forests, it was a great opportunity for Salim to hone his hunting and birdwatching skills.
- He also met Forest Service workers JC Hopwood and Berthold Ribbentrop while in Burma.
- In 1917, Salim put an end to his academic hiatus and decided to return to India to continue his studies.
- He took law and accountancy at Davar’s College of Commerce while also taking zoology classes at St. Xavier’s College after his morning classes.
- Salim completed his zoology course in 1918.
- In the same year as fulfilling his course requirements, he also married Tehmina, his distant relative.
EARLY CAREER
- Because he did not possess a formal university degree, Salim was not qualified to become an ornithologist at the Zoological Survey of India.
- From 1926 to 1928, he worked as a guide lecturer at the natural history section of the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai.
- After his guide lecturer stint, Salim went to study in Germany and worked under Professor Erwin Stresemann at Berlin’s Natural History Museum.
CAREER IN ORNITHOLOGY
- When he returned to India in 1930, Salim experienced difficulty in finding a job.
- As a result, he and his wife moved to the coastal village of Kihim in Mumbai.
- In Kihim, Salim conducted a study of how the baya weaver birds mate through the mating system of sequential polygyny.
- Sequential polygyny is a reproductive strategy wherein males are allowed to continue to mate with females.
- It was said that Salim’s study followed a tradition of Mughal naturalists.
- This comment inspired Salim to write a three-part series on Mughal emperors and naturalists.
- He then moved to Kotagiri and decided to conduct bird surveys across the states of Hyderabad, Cochin, Travancore, Gwalior, Indore, and Bhopal.
- Each survey was sponsored by the respective rulers of those princely states.
- Throughout this surveying work, he was assisted by Hugh Whistler, an experienced English ornithologist.
- Hugh published The Study of Indian Birds in 1929, to which Salim wrote a critique in an effort to point out the study’s errors.
- Hugh was mad at first, but upon re-examining his study, it turns out that Salim was right. He admitted his errors and later on became friends with Salim.
- Through Hugh, Salim met Richard Meinertzhagen, a British ornithologist.
- Soon thereafter, Salim and Richard decided to conduct an expedition in Afghanistan.
- 1939 proved to be a tough year for Salim because it was the year his wife Tehmina, who also assisted him in his early surveys, died.
- Salim kept on with his career in ornithology.
- As an ornithologist, he was more interested in studying the birds out in the field, in the bird’s natural environment, rather than the technical side of systematics and taxonomy.
- He also became interested in bird photography.
AWARDS AND TRIBUTES
- Salim’s works were only recognized later in his life, yet he received many honorary doctorates and awards:
- Honorary doctorates from Aligarh Muslim University in 1958, Delhi University in 1973, and Andhra University in 1978.
- The Joy Gobinda Medal (1953) was awarded by the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
- The Padma Bhushan (1958) is the third-highest civilian award in India.
- The Padma Vibhushan (1976) is the second-highest civilian award in India.
- In 1967, he became the first non-British citizen to be awarded the Gold Medal of the British Ornithologists’ Union.
- Also, in 1967, he was awarded the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize, which amounted to $100,000, which he allocated to the Salim Ali Nature Conservation Fund.
Salim Ali Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Salim Ali across 24 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Salim Ali. Salim Ali has lived to become a renowned Indian ornithologist and naturalist. He is dubbed the “birdman of India.” Salim Ali’s greatest achievement was to be the first person in the Indian race to conduct bird surveys across India.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Salim Ali Facts
- Related Vocabulary
- Birdman’s Biography
- Sequencing Events
- People in Salim’s Life
- Commendable Feats
- Statements About Salim
- Awesome Ornithologists
- Dear Mr. Salim Ali
- Appreciating Ali
- Let’s Go Birdwatching!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Salim Ali?
Salim Ali (1896-1987) was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist who is often referred to as the “birdman of India.” He is widely recognized as one of the most important figures in Indian ornithology and is credited with popularizing the study of birds in India.
What challenges did Salim Ali face in his work?
Salim Ali faced several challenges in his work as an ornithologist, including a lack of funding and resources, as well as a limited understanding of the importance of conservation. He also had to navigate the complex social and political landscape of India, including issues related to religion and caste.
What was Salim Ali’s approach to conservation?
Salim Ali was a strong advocate for conservation and believed that it was critical to protect India’s natural resources, including its bird populations. He worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the importance of conservation and played a key role in establishing protected areas in India.
What is Salim Ali’s legacy?
Salim Ali’s legacy is vast and includes his contributions to ornithology and conservation, as well as his efforts to raise awareness about environmental issues in India. He is widely recognized as a national hero in India and continues to inspire generations of young people to study and appreciate the natural world.
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