#463 - Sálim Ali For Children : The Bird Man of India

by Zai Whitaker and illustrated by Rohan Dahotre

“Sálim Ali For Children : The Bird Man of India” by Zai Whitaker and illustrated by Rohan Dahotre. Published by Hachette. A delightful biography of an incredible man who was a pioneer in the field of Indian ornithology.

The book touches upon aspects of Sálim (pronounced Saa-lim) Ali’s life such as key events, his traits, his possessions, his work and his legacy. Added to these, the unique perspective that the author Zai adds is the experience of having been his grand niece and watching him from close quarters. For her he was Sálim Mamoo. A man who deserves to be a role model for children and adults alike. Though birds have always been all around us, it is the magnanimous work and contribution of this great man to have put them on the map of India forever. Indian ornithology owes a lot to this gritty and quirky man whose passion for birds was unparalleled.

The book starts off with Sálim being a nine year old who shot a sparrow which turned out to have an unusual yellow patch on its throat. When he showed it to his uncle Amiruddin, he didn’t know the reason behind that and took him to BNHS (Bombay Natural History Museum) of which he was one of the earliest members. This place opened up a world of wonders to the little boy who was fascinated by the bird specimens kept there. He would go on to spend a life devoted to these winged beauties and create India’s first bird guide with painstaking research and study. His bird surveys would take him through the length and breadth of India. Read the fascinating book to know more about the life of the bird man of India.

Ever since we read Zai Whitaker’s picture book about her childhood adventures with Sálim Mamoo and bird watching, we have been in awe of her writing. This book was a treat to read for both me and my nine year old. Bird watching is a very dear hobby for us and Sálim Ali is an inspirational figure. To know more about him through the eyes of Zai was an enriching experience. The writing style is so beautiful and endearing to say the least. There is never a dull moment and we were hooked to the book from the start. The vividly described narrative is complemented beautifully with some lovely illustrations and old photographs. We got to know how Sálim was as a person. His commitment, discipline, simplicity, sense of humour, meticulousness in work, fearlessness, passion and perseverance are so inspirational. The rock solid support that Sálim Ali had from his family was so endearing. Choosing an unusual career in those days and then sticking to it for life was not an easy choice but he managed to do it. He has left behind a rich legacy of studies of birds and his field guides which continue to help birdwatchers and ornithologists even today. Thanks to his efforts at conservation, places like Bharatpur and Silent Valley National Park have survived as havens for birds.

It was a pleasant surprise when a very good friend who knew Zai’s parents told us about her new book being launched this month. We were even more delighted when we got to know that the book would be launched at the Funky Rainbow bookstore. We couldn’t wait to attend it and meet Zai. It was a memorable experience and we thoroughly enjoyed listening to her talk about how the book came about twenty years ago and has been reprinted now with some additional material by Harper Collins. She read a few passages from the book too. While reading this book, my son was checking out our copy of Sálim Ali’s bird guide for Indian Birds with a newfound awe and admiration. This story gave him a view and idea to the degree of work and dedication that went into it and how it takes a lifetime (and more) to put a book together that is as comprehensive as that on the subject. The book is a MUST READ and should be a part of every child’s bookshelf.

P.S - Two more books about Sálim Ali for younger children which we have enjoyed reading are “Sálim Mamoo and Me” by Zai Whitaker and “The Boy Who Loved Birds : Salim Ali” by Lavanya Karthik from the dreamers series.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 9/10 and above.

Reasons to Read

For the love of birds, nature and the inspirational life story of the “Birdman of India”.