Page 92 - English Expedition Class 6

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Hide-and-seek with Salim Ali

Zai Whitaker

How would you feel if someone in your family were a famous person known for achieving great
things? Would it change the way you think about and behave with them?
1
Dr Salim Ali (1896–1987) was a pioneering Indian ornithologist , often called the Birdman of India.
2
In the following anecdotes , written on the occasion of his 121st birth anniversary, his grand-niece
remembers the legendary relative she was in awe of as a child.

verall, in a general sort of way,
I mean mostly, it’s great to have
Oa legend in the family. But there
are some uncomfortable moments as well,
because these legends’ lives tend to centre
around their work, while ours tend to
centre around ourselves.
Now our gang of cousins was addicted
to hide-and-seek, not a popular activity
with Salim Mamoo who was always in
the middle of writing a book, or scientifi c
paper, or making detailed preparations for
his next bird survey or study.
My earliest memory of him – he was
my grandmother’s kid brother – was this: a huddle of us cousins under the bed, breathless with
anxiety as angry footsteps stomped up the stairs. We were well acquainted with those footsteps. We
3
knew what they were saying: ‘How am I to fi nish Volume 8 of the Handbook with this infernal 4
noise?’
Th e feet fumed for a few irritated moments, then descended the stairs aft er a detour into the
5
adjoining storeroom. Culprits not found. Now Salim M , ace bird observer, was a lousy observer
6

1 ornithologist: a person who studies birds scientifi cally 4 infernal: annoying and tiresome
2 anecdote: a short, personal and often amusing account 5 detour: a visit to another place by taking a roundabout
about real events route
3 the 10-volume Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan, 6 Salim M: Salim Mamoo
Salim Ali’s best-known and most extensive work
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