Read:1 The Birdman of India

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There are many birds around us whether it's a city or a village.
Most of us like watching colourful birds. However, there was a man
who was so involved in their study that he was nicknamed 'The
Birdman of India'. The name Dr. Salim Moizuddin Abdul Ali is
synonymous with birds. He made birds a serious pursuit when it
used to be mere fun for the most.
Orphaned at a very young age, Salim Ali was brought up by
his maternal uncle. As a child Salim was given an expensive air
gun as a present and spent all his time shooting sparrows around
the house. One day he noticed that one of the sparrows he had
shot at had a yellow throat. He couldn't hold his curiosity and
approached his uncle. His uncle who was equally clueless took him
to the Bombay Natural History Society ( BNHS) in the hope of
finding an answer. There, the honorary secretary, W.S. Milliard told
him that the bird was the Yellow Throated Sparrow. Milliard also
told him about the variety of sparrows. That day Salim decided that
he was going to be an ornithologist. No one would have imagined
that the bird shooter would become a bird lover and nature
conservator one day !!
Inclination and choice of a novel career option made Salim's life
full of hardship. As a young man Salim had to face years of
unemployment. He moved to Burma to look after the family mining
1
and timber business. It was a rewarding experience for the
naturalist as there were endless opportunities for exploring the
forests of Burma.
After returning to India, Salim tried to get a job as an
ornithologist with the Zoological Survey of India but was rejected
since he did not have an M.Sc. or Ph.D. degree. He decided to
study further to acquire eligibility for the job. Salim went to
Germany and got trained under Professor Stresemann, an
acknowledged ornithologist in Berlin. However, when he came
back to India, he found out that there were still hardly any
opportunities in his profession. Another man would have given up
in disgust, but not Salim. He decided to create an opportunity. He
went to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and offered
his free services for conducting regional ornithological surveys.
Says Salim Ali, "It is seldom one gets an opportunity in life to
do what one wants to do. I think the best results are those when
you are doing something worthwhile which you enjoy doing without
the motivation of material reward."
It was his sincerity that won him many awards and medals from
all over the world including the Padma Shree and Padma
Vibhushana.
Salim Ali was a true nature lover and his love for the wildlife is
expressed in his autobiography where he calls the wildlife a capital,
an asset and says, "The interest on the capital must be used, while

2
leaving the capital itself intact. This is how I interpret wildlife
conservation and believe that future generations should enjoy the
same fun with it that I had.
The birdman is survived by his books on birds that a small
group of people use to enjoy birding and endeavour for the
conservation of the wildlife. Dr. Ali is no more but his legacy lives
on.
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synonyms
-------------------------------------
expensive - costly,dear,valuable,precious
approach - contact,meet,reach,come
clueless - baffled,bewildered,confused,doubtful,perplexed
conservator -
curator,custodian,restorer,keeper,guardian,caretaker,protector
eligibility - qualification,acceptability,suitability,admissibility,
aptness,worthiness

acknowledged - accepted,recognized,authorized,
approved,well-known
opportunity - chance,hope,scope
disgust - hatred,dislike,repulsion,loathing

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regional - local,provincial,territorial,topical
asset - benefit,boon,advantage,blessing

intact - undamaged,flawless,unharmed,perfect,integral
interpret - define,decipher,explain,portray,understand
legacy - heritage,inheritance,tradition
pursuit - career,occupation,undertaking
inclination - desire,affection,impulse,preference,bias

novel - new,offbeat,odd,strange,innovative,different,unique
survive - exist, last,live,withstand,sustain
curiosity - concern,interest,eagerness,inquisitiveness
hardship - trouble,difficulty,hazard,adversity
acquire - obtain,receive,gain,get,take,access,attain

profession - occupation,job,employment,career,pursuit
seldom - hardly,rarely,scarcely,barely
motivation - ambition,inspiration,incentive,encouragement
capital - property,investment,financing,business
endeavour - attempt,trial,effort,struggle,venture,enterprise

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synonymous - equivalent,identical,alike
mere - only,absolute,sheer,bare
ornithology - bird watching, study of birds
honorary - celebratory,respectable
survey - scrutiny,review,analysis,audit
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paragraph 1
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There are many birds around us whether it's a city or
a village. Most of us like watching colourful birds. However, there
was a man who was so involved in their study that he was
nicknamed 'The Birdman of India'. The name Dr. Salim Moizuddin
Abdul Ali is synonymous with birds. He made birds a serious
pursuit when it used to be mere fun for the most.
Orphaned at a very young age, Salim was brought up
by his maternal uncle. As a child, Salim was given an expensive
airgun as a present and spent all his time shooting sparrows
around the house. One day he noticed that one of the sparrows he
had shot at had a yellow throat. He couldn't hold his curiosity and
approached his uncle. His uncle, who was equally clueless took
him to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in the hope of
finding an answer. There, the honorary secretary, W.S. Milliard told
him that the bird was the Yellow Throated Sparrow. Milliard also

5
told him about the variety of sparrows. That day Salim decided that
he was going to be an ornithologist. No one would have imagined
that the bird shooter would become a bird lover and nature
conservator one day !!

1. By whom was Salim brought up? Why?

Ans. Salim was brought up by his maternal uncle as he had lost his
parents at a very young age.
2. What was Salim given as a present? What did he do with it?
Ans. Salim was given an expensive airgun as a present. He shot a
yellow throated sparrow with it.
3. Why did young Salim's uncle take him to BNHS?
Ans. Young Salim's uncle took him to BNHS to satisfy Salim's
curiosity about the yellow throated sparrow that he had shot.
4. When did Salim Ali decide to become an ornithologist?
Ans. Salim Ali decided to become an ornithologist on the day he
visited BNHS with his uncle.
5. What change came over Salim?
Ans. Since Salim visited BNHS, he turned to be a bird lover and
nature conservator from a bird shooter.
6. Who created interest in Salim Ali for the birds?

6
Ans. His maternal uncle created interest in Salim Ali for the birds.
7. Who took care of Salim Ali after he lost his parents?
Ans. After losing his parents, his maternal uncle took care of Salim
Ali.
8. How did Salim use the airgun?
Ans. Salim used the airgun for shooting sparrows around his
house.
9. Who was W. S. Milliard?
Ans. W. S. Milliard was the honorary secretary at the Bombay
Natural History Society (BNHS).
10. Who did not know about the dead sparrow?
Ans. Salim Ali and his maternal uncle did not know about the dead
sparrow.
11. Who was nicknamed 'The Birdman of India'? Why?
Ans. Dr. Salim Moizuddin Abdul Ali was involved in the study of
birds so much that he was nicknamed 'The Birdman of India'.
12. Where can we find birds?
Ans. We can find birds in cities as well as in villages.
13. What do we like about birds?
Ans. Most of us like watching colourful birds.

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14. With what was Salim Ali's name identified?
Ans. Salim Ali's name was identified with birds.
15. What did Salim choose for his career unlike others?
Ans. Salim chose birds as a serious career whereas it was only for
fun for most of us.
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paragraph 2
-------------------------------
Inclination and choice of a novel career option made
Salim's life full of hardship. As a young man Salim had to face
years of unemployment. He moved to Burma to look after the
family mining and timber business. It was a rewarding experience
for the naturalist as there were endless opportunities for exploring
the forests of Burma.
After returning to India, Salim tried to get a job as an
ornithologist with the Zoological Survey of India, but was rejected
since he did not have an M.Sc. or Ph. D. degree. He decided to
study further to acquire eligibility for the job. Salim went to
Germany and got trained under Professor Stresemann, an
acknowledged ornithologist in Berlin. However, when he came
back to India, he found out that there were still hardly any
opportunities in his profession. Another man would have given up
in disgust, but not Salim. He decided to create an opportunity. He

8
went to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and offered
his free services for conducting regional ornithological surveys.

1. Why was Salim Ali not given a job as an ornithologist?

Ans. Salim was not given a job as an ornithologist because he did
not have an M.Sc. or Ph.D. degree.
2. Why did Salim Ali go to Germany?
Ans. Salim Ali went to Germany to study further to acquire eligibility
for the job of an ornithologist.
3. What brought disappointment for Salim Ali after his coming back
from Germany?
Ans. Salim Ali went to Germany and got trained under Professor
Stresemann, yet when he came back to India, he found that there
were still hardly any opportunities in his profession, so he was
greatly disappointed.
4. What can you say about Salim Ali's determination?
Ans. Salim Ali did not give up his pursuit. He decided to create an
opportunity for himself.
5. How did Salim Ali create an opportunity for himself?
Ans. Salim Ali went to the BNHS and offered free services for
conducting regional ornithological surveys.

9
6. What made Salim's life full of hardship?
Ans. Inclination and choice of a novel career option made Salim's
life full of hardship.
7. What did Salim have to face?
Ans. As a young man, Salim had to face many years of
unemployment.
8. Where did he move ? Why?
Ans. He moved to Burma to look after the family mining and timber
business.
9. What was a rewarding experience for Salim? Why?
Ans. Moving to Burma was a rewarding experience for Salim as
there were endless opportunities for exploring the forests there.
10. What was Salim's family business in Burma?
Ans. Salim's family business in Burma was mining and timber.
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paragraph 3
-------------------------------
Says Salim Ali, "It is seldom one gets an opportunity in life to do
what one wants to do. I think the best results are those when you
are doing something worthwhile which you enjoy doing without the
motivation of material reward."
It was his sincerity that won him many awards and medals from
all over the world including the Padma Shree and Padma
Vibhushana.
Salim Ali was a true nature lover and his love for the wildlife is
expressed in his autobiography where he calls the wildlife a capital,
an asset and says, "The interest on the capital must be used, while
leaving the capital itself intact. This is how I interpret wildlife
conservation and believe that future generations should enjoy the
same fun with it that I had.
The birdman is survived by his books on birds that a small
group of people use to enjoy birding and endeavour for the
conservation of the wildlife. Dr. Ali is no more but his legacy lives
on.

1. According to Salim Ali, what does one rarely get in life?

11
Ans. According to Salim Ali, one rarely gets an opportunity in life to
do what one wants to do.
2. According to Salim Ali, which are the best results?
Ans. According to Salim Ali, the best results are those when you
are doing something worthwhile which you enjoy doing without the
motivation of material reward.
3. Why did Salim Ali win many awards and medals from all over the
world?
Ans. Salim Ali won many awards and medals from all over the
world because of his sincerity.
4. Which awards were given to Salim in India?
Ans. The Padma Shree and Padma Vibhushana were given to
Salim in India.
5. What is expressed in Salim's autobiography?
Ans. Salim's love for the wildlife is expressed in his autobiography.
6. What was the wildlife for Salim Ali?
Ans. The wildlife was a capital or an asset for Salim Ali.
7. How did Salim interpret wildlife conservation ?
Ans. Salim interpreted wildlife conservation by saying, "The interest
on the capital (wildlife) must be used, while leaving the capital itself
intact."

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8. What did Salim believe?
Ans. Salim believed that future generations should enjoy the same
fun with wildlife that he had.
9. How is Salim Ali survived?
Ans. Salim Ali is survived by his books on birds.
10. How do some people use his books?
Ans. Some people use his books to enjoy birding and endeavour
for the conservation of the wildlife.
========================================================
summary 1
--------------------------------
There are many birds around us whether it's a city or a village.
Most of us like watching colourful birds. However, there was a man
who was so involved in their study that he was nicknamed 'The
Birdman of India'. The name Dr. Salim Moizuddin Abdul Ali is
synonymous with birds. He made birds a serious pursuit when it
used to be mere fun for the most.
Orphaned at a very young age, Salim was brought up
by his maternal uncle. As a child, Salim was given an expensive
airgun as a present and spent all his time shooting sparrows
around the house. One day he noticed that one of the sparrows he
had shot at had a yellow throat. He couldn't hold his curiosity and

13
approached his uncle. His uncle, who was equally clueless took
him to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in the hope of
finding an answer. There, the honorary secretary, W.S. Milliard told
him that the bird was the Yellow Throated Sparrow. Milliard also
told him about the variety of sparrows. That day Salim decided that
he was going to be an ornithologist. No one would have imagined
that the bird shooter would become a bird lover and nature
conservator one day !!

Ans. We like to watch birds everywhere, but Salim Ali chose an

untraditional career of ornithology. After being an orphaned, Salim
was brought up by his maternal uncle. Once he shot a sparrow with
his airgun. To satisfy his curiosity, his uncle took him to the
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) where Salim was informed
about the variety of sparrows by W.S. Milliard. Salim decided to
become an ornithologist that day. It was unimaginable that the bird
shooter would become a bird lover and naturalist one day.

Title: A bird shooter becomes a bird lover.

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14
summary 2
--------------------------------
Inclination and choice of a novel career option made Salim's life full
of hardship. As a young man Salim had to face years of
unemployment. He moved to Burma to look after the family mining
and timber business. It was a rewarding experience for the
naturalist as there were endless opportunities for exploring the
forests of Burma.
After returning to India, Salim tried to get a job as an
ornithologist with the Zoological Survey of India, but was rejected
since he did not have an M.Sc. or Ph. D. degree. He decided to
study further to acquire eligibility for the job. Salim went to
Germany and got trained under Professor Stresemann, an
acknowledged ornithologist in Berlin. However, when he came
back to India, he found out that there were still hardly any
opportunities in his profession. Another man would have given up
in disgust, but not Salim. He decided to create an opportunity. He
went to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and offered
his free services for conducting regional ornithological surveys.

Ans. Salim's life became full of hardships as he chose an

untraditional career of ornithology. Since he was unemployed for a
long time, he had to go to Burma to look after his family business.

15
Being a naturalist, Salim enjoyed his stay in Burma exploring the
forests. Salim Ali had not required qualifications, therefore he was
rejected as an ornithologist. He went to Germany and took training
under Professor Stresemann. When he returned India, he found
that ornithology had not any opportunity. Salim then did regional
ornithological surveys at BNHS.

Title: Salim's struggle to become an ornithologist

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summary 3
--------------------------------
Says Salim Ali, "It is seldom one gets an opportunities in life to do
what one wants to do. I think the best results are those when you
are doing something worthwhile which you enjoy doing without the
motivation of material reward."
It was his sincerity that won him many awards and medals from
all over the world including the Padma Shree and Padma
Vibhushana.
Salim Ali was a true nature lover and his love for the wildlife is
expressed in his autobiography where he calls the wildlife a capital,
an asset and says, "The interest on the capital must be used, while
leaving the capital itself intact. This is how I interpret wildlife

16
conservation and believe that future generations should enjoy the
same fun with it that I had."
The Birdman is survived by his books on birds that a small group
of people use to enjoy birding and endeavour for the conservation
of the wildlife. Dr. Ali is no more but his legacy lives on.

Ans. According to Salim Ali, man does not get an opportunity as

per his expectation. Man should do something worthwhile which he
can enjoy without the motivation of material reward. Salim Ali's
dedication won him many awards and medals from all over the
world. As his autobiography reads, for him wildlife is a capital or an
asset and he wants to leave this capital intact for future
generations to enjoy. Salim Ali lives in the hearts of people through
his books on birds which help to enjoy birding and guide to
conserve wildlife.
Title: Salim Ali's Capital - Wildlife
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