 | |
| Author | Salim Ali |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Autobiography |
| Published | 1985 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Media type | Paperback |
| Pages | 168 |
| ISBN | 978-0-19-561837-2 |
The Fall of a Sparrow is a autobiographical book by Salim Ali that was published in 1985 by Oxford University Press. [1]
The book was written towards the end of Salim Ali's life, with encouragement from R. E. Hawkins of Oxford University Press, which published it in 1985, just two years before his death in 1987 at age 91. Ali recalls the incident with the yellow-throated sparrow as a defining moment in his life, one that led him to pursue a career in ornithology, which was an uncommon path of study at the time, particularly for an Indian. [2]
In Textbook for Environmental Studies of University Grants Commission wrote "‘Fall of a Sparrow’ should be read by every nature enthusiast.". [3]
Kalyani N, of Deccan Herald wrote "The Fall of a Sparrow has a little bit of everything — politics, society, history, geography, economics, education, and adventure, besides, of course, nature, environment and birds. There is a great deal of interesting trivia about Salim Ali’s life." [4]
Dilip Bobb of India Today writes, "The reader's interest is sustained to the end, where Ali lays out what he terms his Articles of Faith in the epilogue in the form of imaginary questions and his answers to them ranging from religion, man's separateness from the rest of nature, the occult, and man's destiny, thus proving, if it were required, that within that frail frame beats the heart and mind of an intellectual who has enriched the world of ornithology, always the Cinderella of Indian zoology, as well as the lives of those who have been privileged to soar along with him at heights denied to lesser mortals." [5]
The book has been on the syllabus of Literature and Ecology in Maharaja's College, Ernakulam. [6] The book has to be read for the Post-Graduate Programme in English in Bishop Heber College. [7]
Students are asked questions about this book to get Certificate Course in Birding in Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University. [8]
Dayanand Saraswati, also known as Maharshi Dayanand, was an Indian philosopher, social leader and founder of the Arya Samaj, a reform movement of the Vedic dharma. His magnum opus is the book Satyarth Prakash, which has remained a highly influential text on the philosophy of the Vedas and clarifications of various ideas and duties of human beings. He was the first to give the call for Swaraj as "India for Indians" in 1876, a call later taken up by Lokmanya Tilak. Denouncing the idolatry and ritualistic worship, he worked towards reviving Vedic ideologies. Subsequently, the philosopher and President of India, S. Radhakrishnan, called him one of the "makers of Modern India", as did Sri Aurobindo.
Margaret Morse Nice was an American ornithologist, ethologist, and child psychologist who made an extensive study of the life history of the song sparrow and was author of Studies in the Life History of the Song Sparrow (1937). She observed and recorded hierarchies in chicken about three decades ahead of Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe who coined the term "pecking order". After her marriage, she made observations on language learning in her children and wrote numerous research papers.
Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. Sometimes referred to as the "Birdman of India", Salim Ali was the first Indian to conduct systematic bird surveys across India and wrote several bird books that popularized ornithology in India. He became a 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 and prevent the destruction of what is now the Silent Valley National Park.
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The Maharaja's College is a government college of higher education located in Kochi, Kerala. Established in 1875, it is one of the oldest colleges in India. Located in the heart of the city, the college is spread over a campus of 100,000 square metres on the banks of Vembanad Lake. Blanketed by tall and rare species of trees, its campus features is a mix of old and modern architecture and covers a total area of 19,525 m2 (210,170 sq ft), providing infrastructural facilities for the 22 departments of the college.
Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi was an Indian independence activist, Vedic scholar, Indologist, and claimed supercentenarian. At the claimed age of 122 years, 313 days, some Indian newspapers reported him as the oldest Indian ever.
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Pakistan studies curriculum is the name of a curriculum of academic research and study that encompasses the culture, demographics, geography, history, International Relations and politics of Pakistan. The subject is widely researched in and outside the country, though outside Pakistan it is typically part of a broader South Asian studies or some other wider field. Several universities in Pakistan have departments and research centers dedicated to the subject, whereas many independent research institutes carry out multidisciplinary research on Pakistan Studies. There are also a number of international organizations that are engaged in collaborative teaching, research, and exchange activities on the subject.
Vitthal Ramji Shinde was a social and religious reformer in Maharashtra, India. He was prominent among the liberal thinkers and reformists in India, prior to its independence. He has been recognised as a social reformer and an activist fighting for greater equality in Indian society. He is particularly noted for opposing the practice of 'untouchability', and for championing support and education for 'untouchables', such as Dalits.
The Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) is a national centre for information, education and research in ornithology and natural history in India.
The Government Law College, Ernakulam, also known as His Highness the Maharajas Government Law College, Ernakulam is an prestigious institution for undergraduate and post-graduate legal education in, Kerala, India. Founded in 1874, it is the first law college in the state of Kerala.It is one of the oldest law colleges in India. The Campus is situated on the banks of Vembanad Lake and is near to Marine Drive and High Court of Kerala. Blanketed by tall and rare species of trees, its campus features a mix of old and modern architecture. The college is recognised by Bar Council of India and affiliated to the Faculty of Law, Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam and is a reputed Research Centre in Law. The college’s prestigious alumni includes former Chief Justice of India K. G. Balakrishnan, Noted Indian actor Padma Shree Mammootty, former Defence Minister of India A. K. Antony, and former Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy. It is popularly known as Ernakulam Law College or Maharajas Law College.
Zafar Rashid Futehally was an Indian naturalist and conservationist best known for his work as the secretary of the Bombay Natural History Society and for the Newsletter for Birdwatchers a periodical that helped birdwatchers around India to communicate their observations. Awarded Padma Shri by the Government of India in the year 1971, Zafar Futehally was also honoured with Dutch order of merit the Order of the Golden Ark in 1981 and Karnataka Rajyotsava award by the Government of Karnataka in 1983.
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Subramanian Bhupathy (1963–2014) was an Indian herpetologist, wildlife biologist and researcher. He was a principal scientist at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON). He headed a three-year study on the patterns of distribution of selected faunal groups on the Agasthyamalai hills. He worked on lizards, amphibians and birds and his contributions and works were more focused on reptiles. Dr Bhupathy was noted for work on pythons and python ecology in India and Indian turtles and tortoises.