The Song of the Magpie Robin

by Zafar Futehally, Shanthi Chandola, Ashish Chandola PR

Birder, naturalist and writer, Zafar Futehally was born in 1920 into a business family of Bombay. He grew up in Andheri, then one of the greenest areas of the city, and went on to join the family trade. However, it was with Salim Ali, the famed ornithologist also known as the ‘Birdman of India’, that Zafar found his true calling.
Zafar accompanied Salim Ali on his expeditions and helped him ring birds, collect specimens and take notes. On these field trips, he came in contact with some of the world’s foremost naturalists and conservationists—Dillon Ripley, Loke Wan Tho, Richard Fitter and Sir Peter Scott amongst others. These associations helped Zafar develop a nuanced, far-ranging understanding of ornithology as well as of the natural world. This, together with his diplomatic skills, made him a vital consensus-builder on matters relating to conservation.
Zafar Futehally spearheaded the conservation movement in India and played a key role in transforming it from a fringe concern of the middle-class to a matter of national importance. Zafar held key posts in all the important conservation organizations and initiatives in India and abroad—BNHS, IUCN, WWF–India and Project Tiger.
Witty, humble and deeply thoughtful, The Song of the Magpie Robin is a vibrant portrait of a man of principle, who spent his entire life striving to find a balance between development and nature conservation.

Genres: Nature

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2014

Reviews

[Raksha Bhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah! This felt like flying and flapping my wings through the life of such important people in the natural world in India. It is harder than it seems to be, this entire effort of conservation. Living close to nature and living for nature are two completely different ways of life, the latter is what the book is about, about people who did that. Indians & British alike. Kudos to them and to the author who has beautifully conveyed it to us readers through his words, after all words are the only thing that stay with us.

[Pulkit Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is about the life of the author and his fellow birders. Most notable of them all being Salim Ali. Their lifestyles, believes and how they became so highly involved in protection of nature.

The book also discusses the efforts made in order to conserve the environment. And the manner in which the perspective of the society and India's position with global agencies has changed over decades.

[Vikas Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling reading, almost lyrical...