{"id":13658,"date":"2026-09-15T10:33:03","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T10:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/?page_id=13658"},"modified":"2026-09-15T16:57:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T16:57:06","slug":"salim-ali-profile","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/salim-ali-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Salim Ali Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSet the portrait here from your media library.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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S\u00e1lim Moizuddin Abdul Ali<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Birdman of India<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tS\u00e1lim Moizuddin Abdul Ali \u00b7
12\nNovember 1896 \u2013 1987\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIndia’s pre-eminent ornithologist, who spent six decades in the field and did more than any other person to bring the study of Indian birds to ordinary readers.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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How it began<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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At ten, S\u00e1lim was given an air-gun by his uncle. He shot a sparrow with a curious yellow streak below its neck, and his uncle sent him to the Bombay Natural History Society to have it identified.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Honorary Secretary, W. S. Millard, named it a Yellow-throated Sparrow and showed the boy the Society’s collection of stuffed birds. That single afternoon decided the rest of his life.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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At a glance<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBorn — 12 November 1896<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDied — 1987, aged 91<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tField — ornithology, natural history<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tInstitution — Bombay Natural History Society<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTrained under Professor Stresemann, Berlin<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest known for The Book of Indian Birds<\/em><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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    Honours<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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    • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJ. Paul Getty International Award<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGolden Ark — International Union for Conservation of Nature<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGold Medal, British Ornithologists’ Union — rarely given to a non-British recipient<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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      • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPadma Shri and Padma Vibhushan, Government of India<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
      • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThree honorary doctorates<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
      • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNominated to the Rajya Sabha, 1985<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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        Writing<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        No one did more to popularise the study of birds in India. Alongside journal papers he wrote field guides and books for general readers, and they are still where most Indian birdwatchers start.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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        The Book of Indian Birds<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        Still the standard first book for anyone taking up birdwatching in India.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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        The Fall of a Sparrow<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        His 1985 autobiography, tracing the life that began with one sparrow.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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        Regional field guides and papers<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        Decades of survey work written up for both scientists and lay readers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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        In his own words<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        His interest, he wrote, was in the living bird in its natural environment<\/em>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

        \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Fall of a Sparrow, 1985\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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        He died in 1987 at the age of 91. For all the honours, he remained what he had been at ten years old: an endlessly curious person with a passion for birds.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Set the portrait here from your media library. S\u00e1lim Moizuddin Abdul Ali The Birdman of India S\u00e1lim Moizuddin Abdul Ali \u00b7 12 November 1896 \u2013 1987India’s pre-eminent ornithologist, who spent six decades in the field and did more than any other person to bring the study of Indian birds to ordinary readers. How it began At ten, S\u00e1lim was given an air-gun by his uncle. He shot a sparrow with a curious yellow streak below its neck, and his uncle sent him to the Bombay Natural History Society to have it identified. The Honorary Secretary, W. S. Millard, named it a Yellow-throated Sparrow and showed the boy the Society’s collection of stuffed birds. That single afternoon decided the rest of his life. At a glance Born — 12 November 1896 Died — 1987, aged 91 Field — ornithology, natural history Institution — Bombay Natural History Society Trained under Professor Stresemann, Berlin Best known for The Book of Indian Birds Honours J. Paul Getty International Award Golden Ark — International Union for Conservation of Nature Gold Medal, British Ornithologists’ Union — rarely given to a non-British recipient Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan, Government of India Three honorary doctorates Nominated to the Rajya Sabha, 1985 Writing No one did more to popularise the study of birds in India. Alongside journal papers he wrote field guides and books for general readers, and they are still where most Indian birdwatchers start. The Book of Indian Birds Still the standard first book for anyone taking up birdwatching in India. The Fall of a Sparrow His 1985 autobiography, tracing the life that began with one sparrow. Regional field guides and papers Decades of survey work written up for both scientists and lay readers. In his own words His interest, he wrote, was in the living bird in its natural environment. The Fall of a Sparrow, 1985 He died in 1987 at the age of 91. For all the honours, he remained what he had been at ten years old: an endlessly curious person with a passion for birds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-13658","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13658"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13658\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14331,"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13658\/revisions\/14331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}