Dr. Salim Moizuddin Abdul Ali was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. Popularly known to many as the “birdman of India”, Salim Ali was among the first Indians to conduct systematic bird surveys across India’ The several books on birds that he wrote helped popularize ornithology (a branch of zoology that concerns the “methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them”, according to Wikipedia) in India. Salim Ali became the key figure behind the Bombay Natural History Society after 1947 and used his personal influence to garner government support for the organisation, create the Bharatpur bird sanctuary (Keoladeo National Park) and prevent the destruction of what is now the Silent Valley National Park. Along with Sidney Dillon Ripley he wrote the ten volume Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan, a second edition of which was completed after his death. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1958 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1976, Several species of birds and a couple of bird sanctuaries and institutions have been named after him. Since the day I saw one of his books on Indian birds in my college Library I was very keen to meet Dr Salim Ali. When I learnt he was living in Bombay I requested my media friends to find me his phone and address for me. To my shock I was told that I should not waste my time and film on someone whose pics nobody was interested in. My reply to them was I didn’t care as I was interested to meet him. On calling Salim Ali’s residence he himself answered my call and immediately agreed to meet me. His residence was adjacent to actor Dilip Kumar’s bunglow on Pali Hill. Dr Ali was very lean, short dark skinned but very soft spoken man. So soft that at times I couldn’t hear what he said. He took me to his large study which was full of books papers scattered all around. Finding it difficult to shoot a dark skinned genius inside his study with low light I requested him to come out in the verandah and sit on one of the cane chairs lying there. This is one of my favorite pictures of Dr Ali nobody may have ever asked me for his pictures but I am so pleased to have met a great soul, a genius , who had devoted all his life searching, watching and recording the lives of delicate and most colorful beauties of nature. He was indeed a ‘Birdman’. And I am glad I met him.
