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Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 14, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth12 November 1896

Age90 (at time of death)

BirthplaceBombay (now Mumbai), Bombay Presidency, British India

ProfessionOrnithologist, Natural Historian

NationalityIndian

Marital statusWidower

SpouseTehmina

FamilyParents: Moizuddin and Zeenat-un-nissa; one of nine children

Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan) Biography

Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali, widely known as Salim Ali and celebrated as the 'Birdman of India', was a pioneering Indian ornithologist and natural historian.

Early life and background
Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali was born on 12 November 1896 in Bombay (now Mumbai) when it was part of the Bombay Presidency in British India. He grew up in Mumbai and experienced the loss of both parents at a young age, after which he was raised by relatives. As a child he received a broad early education that included study of the Quran, and he attended the Zenana Bible and Medical Mission Girls High School in Girgaum. He completed his higher schooling at the University of Bombay and went on to earn degrees in zoology and commercial law.

Career
Salim Ali became one of India’s most influential ornithologists and natural historians. Early encouragement came when a specimen he showed to family led to an introduction to W. S. Millard of the Bombay Natural History Society, which helped steer him toward the study of birds. Although he did not hold a formal university degree in ornithology, he pursued advanced training in Germany under the noted ornithologist Erwin Stresemann, whom he regarded as his mentor.

Ali worked in various roles connected to natural history and conservation. He collaborated with colleagues in the Forest Service of Burma and conducted significant field studies in India, including pioneering work on the breeding biology of species such as the baya weaver, where he described aspects of their reproductive behavior. He also authored and coauthored several influential books on Indian birds, including The Book of Indian Birds (1941), the Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (1964, co-written with Dillon Ripley), Common Birds (1967, co-authored with his niece Laeeq Futehally), and his autobiography, The Fall of a Sparrow (1985).

Public profile
Over his long career, Salim Ali received numerous honours recognizing his contributions to ornithology and conservation. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1958 and later the Padma Vibhushan in 1976. In 1967 he became the first non-British recipient of the Gold Medal of the British Ornithologists’ Union and in the same period won the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize. He received honorary doctorates from Aligarh Muslim University (1958), Delhi University (1973), and Andhra University (1978). Other international recognitions included the John C. Phillips memorial medal from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1969), the Pavlovsky Centenary Memorial Medal from the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences (1973), and appointment as a Commander of the Order of the Golden Ark by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (1973).

Ali’s interests extended beyond scholarship. He enjoyed riding motorcycles and owned brands such as Sunbeam, Harley-Davidson, and Douglas. He was active in public conservation work through the Bombay Natural History Society, including projects aimed at reducing bird killings in India. In 1985 he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s Parliament, reflecting his standing in public life.

Personal life and later years
Salim Ali married Tehmina in December 1918 and was widowed in 1939. He continued his work in ornithology and conservation in the decades that followed. Late in life he battled prostate cancer and died on 20 June 1987 in Bombay at the age of 90.

Legacy and influence
The Government of India established the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) in his honour in 1990. In 1996 the government also issued postal stamps commemorating him. His life and work have had cultural resonance as well: a character inspired by him appears in the 2018 Indian film 2.0, directed by S. Shankar, in which actor Akshay Kumar’s role drew on aspects of Salim Ali’s public image.

Latest updates
Posthumously, institutions and commemorations continue to mark Salim Ali’s influence on bird study and conservation in India. The establishment of SACON, postal recognition, and occasional cultural references underscore his enduring reputation as a foundational figure in Indian ornithology.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

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Recent Work

The Fall of a Sparrow

Autobiography published in 1985

1985
The Book of Indian Birds

Popular guide to Indian birds first published in 1941

1941
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan

Comprehensive work co-written with Dillon Ripley

1964
Common Birds

Field-oriented book co-authored with Laeeq Futehally

1967
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Career Highlights

  1. Pioneering Indian ornithologist and natural historian
  2. Authored influential books on Indian birds including The Book of Indian Birds and Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan
  3. First non-British recipient of the Gold Medal of the British Ornithologists' Union (1967)
  4. Recipient of Padma Bhushan (1958) and Padma Vibhushan (1976)
  5. Nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1985
  6. Namesake of the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (established 1990)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan) born?

Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan) was born on 12 November 1896.

What is Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan) known for?

Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan) is known for ornithologist, Natural Historian.

What is Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan)’s marital status?

Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan)'s marital status is listed as Widower.

Who is Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan) married to?

Salim Ali (Pakshi Rajan) is publicly listed as married to Tehmina.