
the chirps of the sparrows and the sparrows have been with us for more than
sparrows have been with us for more than
sparrows have been with us for more than 10,000 years they have been with us from
10,000 years they have been with us from
10,000 years they have been with us from the start of the civilization when
the start of the civilization when
the start of the civilization when humans became agriculturist from hunters
humans became agriculturist from hunters
humans became agriculturist from hunters and gatherers they have seen the rise
and gatherers they have seen the rise
and gatherers they have seen the rise and fall of civilizations and the
and fall of civilizations and the
and fall of civilizations and the sparrows were the first bird that
sparrows were the first bird that
sparrows were the first bird that children identified when they were small
children identified when they were small
children identified when they were small the chirps was the first sound they
the chirps was the first sound they
the chirps was the first sound they could relate to coming out from an
could relate to coming out from an
could relate to coming out from an animal and I was no different I had a
animal and I was no different I had a
animal and I was no different I had a wonderful childhood which was full of
wonderful childhood which was full of
wonderful childhood which was full of birds which was full of flowers full of
birds which was full of flowers full of
birds which was full of flowers full of nature in those days such abundant was
nature in those days such abundant was
nature in those days such abundant was the population of sparrows
the population of sparrows
the population of sparrows that they were part of the family the
that they were part of the family the
that they were part of the family the entire lifecycle of the sparrow would
entire lifecycle of the sparrow would
entire lifecycle of the sparrow would get unravel in front of your own eyes
get unravel in front of your own eyes
get unravel in front of your own eyes we never mind minded in those days
we never mind minded in those days
we never mind minded in those days Sparrow was making a nest on the back of
Sparrow was making a nest on the back of
Sparrow was making a nest on the back of the photo frame or on the top of the
the photo frame or on the top of the
the photo frame or on the top of the cupboards we never mind them bringing
cupboards we never mind them bringing
cupboards we never mind them bringing grass and dropping some down in fact my
grass and dropping some down in fact my
grass and dropping some down in fact my grandmother never used to allow to put
grandmother never used to allow to put
grandmother never used to allow to put on the fans because the sparrow would
on the fans because the sparrow would
on the fans because the sparrow would get killed I had an amazing childhood
get killed I had an amazing childhood
get killed I had an amazing childhood growing up with birds animals so found
growing up with birds animals so found
growing up with birds animals so found was I of seeing all these birds that
was I of seeing all these birds that
was I of seeing all these birds that most of the time in the school library I
most of the time in the school library I
most of the time in the school library I opened up all the books which used to
opened up all the books which used to
opened up all the books which used to have birds animals because in those days
have birds animals because in those days
have birds animals because in those days we didn’t have Discovery or National
we didn’t have Discovery or National
we didn’t have Discovery or National Geographic either started growing up
Geographic either started growing up
Geographic either started growing up more and more I got involved into this
more and more I got involved into this
more and more I got involved into this fascinating world of my life so much in
fascinating world of my life so much in
fascinating world of my life so much in world I was that as I grew young I got a
world I was that as I grew young I got a
world I was that as I grew young I got a root shock of my life
root shock of my life
root shock of my life the vultures which were among one of the
the vultures which were among one of the
the vultures which were among one of the most common Raptor in the world which
most common Raptor in the world which
most common Raptor in the world which were found in millions in India had
were found in millions in India had
were found in millions in India had catastrophically declined
catastrophically declined
catastrophically declined they had reached a point where the
they had reached a point where the
they had reached a point where the scientists were spectacled whether they
scientists were spectacled whether they
scientists were spectacled whether they would survive the decade or not this
would survive the decade or not this
would survive the decade or not this thing shook me to the core I was
thing shook me to the core I was
thing shook me to the core I was speechless I didn’t had any answers my
speechless I didn’t had any answers my
speechless I didn’t had any answers my mind was refusing to accept what the
mind was refusing to accept what the
mind was refusing to accept what the people were saying so I went back to all
people were saying so I went back to all
people were saying so I went back to all the places in my childhood where I had
the places in my childhood where I had
the places in my childhood where I had seen a lot of vultures this municipal
seen a lot of vultures this municipal
seen a lot of vultures this municipal clock tower in the city center of Nasik
clock tower in the city center of Nasik
clock tower in the city center of Nasik during my childhood full of vultures but
during my childhood full of vultures but
during my childhood full of vultures but that time I couldn’t find any what made
that time I couldn’t find any what made
that time I couldn’t find any what made me even more nervous what made me even
me even more nervous what made me even
me even more nervous what made me even more spectacle was that it was not only
more spectacle was that it was not only
more spectacle was that it was not only the vultures that I was not seeing even
the vultures that I was not seeing even
the vultures that I was not seeing even I was seeing fewer sparrows I was seeing
I was seeing fewer sparrows I was seeing
I was seeing fewer sparrows I was seeing fewer other common birds which were
fewer other common birds which were
fewer other common birds which were present everywhere during my childhood
present everywhere during my childhood
present everywhere during my childhood so I went upon catching hold of every
so I went upon catching hold of every
so I went upon catching hold of every research paper every report in the
research paper every report in the
research paper every report in the country but what I found out was a
country but what I found out was a
country but what I found out was a scientist or ornithologist never cared
scientist or ornithologist never cared
scientist or ornithologist never cared to count the common flora and fauna in
to count the common flora and fauna in
to count the common flora and fauna in our country however in UK where they
our country however in UK where they
our country however in UK where they were counting the sparrows and other
were counting the sparrows and other
were counting the sparrows and other common birds there had been a
common birds there had been a
common birds there had been a catastrophic decline in UK and mainland
catastrophic decline in UK and mainland
catastrophic decline in UK and mainland Europe the same thing was happening in
Europe the same thing was happening in
Europe the same thing was happening in India also the only thing that we didn’t
India also the only thing that we didn’t
India also the only thing that we didn’t do was we never counted a common flora
do was we never counted a common flora
do was we never counted a common flora and fauna that time I made a promise to
and fauna that time I made a promise to
and fauna that time I made a promise to myself that what has happened with the
myself that what has happened with the
myself that what has happened with the vultures what has happened with other
vultures what has happened with other
vultures what has happened with other species I would never let that happen
species I would never let that happen
species I would never let that happen with the sparrows the sparrow has been
with the sparrows the sparrow has been
with the sparrows the sparrow has been with humanity since its start it is one
with humanity since its start it is one
with humanity since its start it is one of the best bio indicator of the
of the best bio indicator of the
of the best bio indicator of the environment in and around us the same
environment in and around us the same
environment in and around us the same causes which were responsible for the
causes which were responsible for the
causes which were responsible for the decline of sparrows were also affecting
decline of sparrows were also affecting
decline of sparrows were also affecting humans however we were blind enough not
humans however we were blind enough not
humans however we were blind enough not to see those the conservation of Sparrow
to see those the conservation of Sparrow
to see those the conservation of Sparrow was even more important because it is
was even more important because it is
was even more important because it is one of the most important connection
one of the most important connection
one of the most important connection between
humanity and nature and if this breaks
humanity and nature and if this breaks people would not stand up to save the
people would not stand up to save the
people would not stand up to save the nature I came from a business family
nature I came from a business family
nature I came from a business family background and I thought that if I had
background and I thought that if I had
background and I thought that if I had to save sparrows and commit my life
to save sparrows and commit my life
to save sparrows and commit my life towards saving them I had to convince my
towards saving them I had to convince my
towards saving them I had to convince my family to allow me to relieve my dream
family to allow me to relieve my dream
family to allow me to relieve my dream it also gave me a thought that if my
it also gave me a thought that if my
it also gave me a thought that if my family believed in what I am going to do
family believed in what I am going to do
family believed in what I am going to do if my family was convinced that the
if my family was convinced that the
if my family was convinced that the sparrows had to be conserved it would be
sparrows had to be conserved it would be
sparrows had to be conserved it would be quite easy for me to convince the world
quite easy for me to convince the world
quite easy for me to convince the world but from the day they were convinced I
but from the day they were convinced I
but from the day they were convinced I have never looked back
have never looked back
have never looked back there have been the rock-solid support
there have been the rock-solid support
there have been the rock-solid support which has helped me go out and save
which has helped me go out and save
which has helped me go out and save sparrows so a boy from NASA without
sparrows so a boy from NASA without
sparrows so a boy from NASA without having any exposure to the field of
having any exposure to the field of
having any exposure to the field of conservation had embarked on a journey
conservation had embarked on a journey
conservation had embarked on a journey to save sparrows however when I entered
to save sparrows however when I entered
to save sparrows however when I entered the real field I entered into the big
the real field I entered into the big
the real field I entered into the big conservation organizations in the
conservation organizations in the
conservation organizations in the country I found it was quite different
country I found it was quite different
country I found it was quite different it had its own biodiversity but not what
it had its own biodiversity but not what
it had its own biodiversity but not what I had expected and I found out that it
I had expected and I found out that it
I had expected and I found out that it was totally tree centric either
was totally tree centric either
was totally tree centric either it had to be Tigers or threatened
it had to be Tigers or threatened
it had to be Tigers or threatened because there I realized all the name
because there I realized all the name
because there I realized all the name fame and money lied here this was
fame and money lied here this was
fame and money lied here this was against my thought processes it was
against my thought processes it was
against my thought processes it was against the fundamentals of ecology
against the fundamentals of ecology
against the fundamentals of ecology because there I was taught that
because there I was taught that
because there I was taught that everything from an ant to an elephant is
everything from an ant to an elephant is
everything from an ant to an elephant is important and here I could see that
important and here I could see that
important and here I could see that there were more tiger Wallace than the
there were more tiger Wallace than the
there were more tiger Wallace than the actual Tigers in the in the country so I
actual Tigers in the in the country so I
actual Tigers in the in the country so I was in a state of shock again totally
was in a state of shock again totally
was in a state of shock again totally blank didn’t knew what to do however
blank didn’t knew what to do however
blank didn’t knew what to do however there was right at the end of the tunnel
there was right at the end of the tunnel
there was right at the end of the tunnel I got a wonderful opportunity to work
I got a wonderful opportunity to work
I got a wonderful opportunity to work with grass root level conservationists
with grass root level conservationists
with grass root level conservationists and organizations across the country
and organizations across the country
and organizations across the country this was through a project with Royal
this was through a project with Royal
this was through a project with Royal Society for protection of bird
Society for protection of bird
Society for protection of bird a uk-based organization which is one of
a uk-based organization which is one of
a uk-based organization which is one of the world’s most biggest organization
the world’s most biggest organization
the world’s most biggest organization saving birds I got an opportunity to go
saving birds I got an opportunity to go
saving birds I got an opportunity to go to UK get trained and this opened up
to UK get trained and this opened up
to UK get trained and this opened up entire different world
entire different world
entire different world I learned about the different approach
I learned about the different approach
I learned about the different approach of conservation which were quite
of conservation which were quite
of conservation which were quite different from the textbook conservation
different from the textbook conservation
different from the textbook conservation which was happening back in India it
which was happening back in India it
which was happening back in India it opened up that to be able to save
opened up that to be able to save
opened up that to be able to save something you not only needed to do your
something you not only needed to do your
something you not only needed to do your work but you also had to talk with the
work but you also had to talk with the
work but you also had to talk with the government agencies the media you of you
government agencies the media you of you
government agencies the media you of you need to had a proper funding mechanism
need to had a proper funding mechanism
need to had a proper funding mechanism in place so there I learned and I
in place so there I learned and I
in place so there I learned and I thought that if I want to save sparrows
thought that if I want to save sparrows
thought that if I want to save sparrows I would not take a project based
I would not take a project based
I would not take a project based approach and if I had to commit myself
approach and if I had to commit myself
approach and if I had to commit myself towards the sparrows on a lifelong
towards the sparrows on a lifelong
towards the sparrows on a lifelong mission I need to have a sustainable
mission I need to have a sustainable
mission I need to have a sustainable plan in place back in India when I came
plan in place back in India when I came
plan in place back in India when I came back I realized like the real people who
back I realized like the real people who
back I realized like the real people who are doing conservation where the
are doing conservation where the
are doing conservation where the grassroot level people they were the
grassroot level people they were the
grassroot level people they were the small organizations pressed across the
small organizations pressed across the
small organizations pressed across the length and breadth of the country and
length and breadth of the country and
length and breadth of the country and later on they would become my true
later on they would become my true
later on they would become my true allies in saving sparrows however what I
allies in saving sparrows however what I
allies in saving sparrows however what I didn’t hand in on my side was time the
didn’t hand in on my side was time the
didn’t hand in on my side was time the sparrows were declining too fast and I
sparrows were declining too fast and I
sparrows were declining too fast and I had to give them a life-saving injection
had to give them a life-saving injection
had to give them a life-saving injection however such extraordinary situation
however such extraordinary situation
however such extraordinary situation needed an out-of-box approach the
needed an out-of-box approach the
needed an out-of-box approach the traditional approach would not work I
traditional approach would not work I
traditional approach would not work I realized that too soon because of my
realized that too soon because of my
realized that too soon because of my lifelong observation of the ecological
lifelong observation of the ecological
lifelong observation of the ecological behavior and the needs of sparrows the
behavior and the needs of sparrows the
behavior and the needs of sparrows the kind of setup that we had in India and
kind of setup that we had in India and
kind of setup that we had in India and the lessons that I had learned in UK so
the lessons that I had learned in UK so
the lessons that I had learned in UK so we’ve decided to form an organization
we’ve decided to form an organization
we’ve decided to form an organization named nature forever Society which would
named nature forever Society which would
named nature forever Society which would not discriminate between species based
not discriminate between species based
not discriminate between species based whether they are threatened or rare it
whether they are threatened or rare it
whether they are threatened or rare it would not discriminate between
would not discriminate between
would not discriminate between conservationists whether they are normal
conservationists whether they are normal
conservationists whether they are normal citizens we formed a society with
citizens we formed a society with
citizens we formed a society with humanity at its core a society which
humanity at its core a society which
humanity at its core a society which would be transparent weak
would be transparent weak
would be transparent weak designed to adopt an icebox and bird
designed to adopt an icebox and bird
designed to adopt an icebox and bird feeder program in order to give that
feeder program in order to give that
feeder program in order to give that life-saving injection to sparrows the
life-saving injection to sparrows the
life-saving injection to sparrows the program helped us achieve three main
program helped us achieve three main
program helped us achieve three main goals to create critical habitat for
goals to create critical habitat for
goals to create critical habitat for sparrows which was declining across the
sparrows which was declining across the
sparrows which was declining across the country mainly the nesting sites and the
country mainly the nesting sites and the
country mainly the nesting sites and the food because as globalization opened up
food because as globalization opened up
food because as globalization opened up the country our lifestyle changed
the country our lifestyle changed
the country our lifestyle changed traditional architecture gave way to
traditional architecture gave way to
traditional architecture gave way to modern at architecture we didn’t had the
modern at architecture we didn’t had the
modern at architecture we didn’t had the nesting sites for sparrows food was not
nesting sites for sparrows food was not
nesting sites for sparrows food was not easily available so this address this
easily available so this address this
easily available so this address this key ecological need of sparrows what I’d
key ecological need of sparrows what I’d
key ecological need of sparrows what I’d also broken post globalization was the
also broken post globalization was the
also broken post globalization was the emotional connect that we had as a
emotional connect that we had as a
emotional connect that we had as a society had with the sparrows add those
society had with the sparrows add those
society had with the sparrows add those and windows were shut for sparrows so
and windows were shut for sparrows so
and windows were shut for sparrows so was a culture we had to reinstate this
was a culture we had to reinstate this
was a culture we had to reinstate this emotional bond between the sparrows and
emotional bond between the sparrows and
emotional bond between the sparrows and humanity once again at the same time
humanity once again at the same time
humanity once again at the same time since we had not taken a project-based
since we had not taken a project-based
since we had not taken a project-based approach towards conservation we
approach towards conservation we
approach towards conservation we required as funding which would be
required as funding which would be
required as funding which would be long-term and transparent we didn’t
long-term and transparent we didn’t
long-term and transparent we didn’t wanted people to donate money to us we
wanted people to donate money to us we
wanted people to donate money to us we didn’t want it checkbook charity what we
didn’t want it checkbook charity what we
didn’t want it checkbook charity what we wanted them to do was to adopt the
wanted them to do was to adopt the
wanted them to do was to adopt the responsibility of saving sparrows in the
responsibility of saving sparrows in the
responsibility of saving sparrows in the past 1012 years we have been able to
past 1012 years we have been able to
past 1012 years we have been able to create more than 30,000 nesting sites
create more than 30,000 nesting sites
create more than 30,000 nesting sites across the country safe nesting sites
across the country safe nesting sites
across the country safe nesting sites for birds not only sparrows but manners
for birds not only sparrows but manners
for birds not only sparrows but manners parakeets the birds which were declining
parakeets the birds which were declining
parakeets the birds which were declining in the urban landscapes we were able to
in the urban landscapes we were able to
in the urban landscapes we were able to connect create more than three point
connect create more than three point
connect create more than three point file at sustainable source of food for
file at sustainable source of food for
file at sustainable source of food for sparrows which was critical in
sparrows which was critical in
sparrows which was critical in reestablishing the emotional connect
reestablishing the emotional connect
reestablishing the emotional connect which was breaking and which would
which was breaking and which would
which was breaking and which would guarantee that the future population of
guarantee that the future population of
guarantee that the future population of sparrows have a sustainable source of
sparrows have a sustainable source of
sparrows have a sustainable source of food however one of the thing that we
food however one of the thing that we
food however one of the thing that we were able to achieve we were able to get
were able to achieve we were able to get
were able to achieve we were able to get more than 30,000 sparrow supporters
more than 30,000 sparrow supporters
more than 30,000 sparrow supporters across the country so when I started I
across the country so when I started I
across the country so when I started I was alone with my family
was alone with my family
was alone with my family today we have more than 30,000 families
today we have more than 30,000 families
today we have more than 30,000 families across the world helping us save
across the world helping us save
across the world helping us save sparrows who have made sparrows a part
sparrows who have made sparrows a part
sparrows who have made sparrows a part of their family
of their family
of their family these people are a voice of sparrows
these people are a voice of sparrows
these people are a voice of sparrows what we also wanted to do with sparrows
what we also wanted to do with sparrows
what we also wanted to do with sparrows is to raise the profile of sparrows
is to raise the profile of sparrows
is to raise the profile of sparrows because it was always the Tigers and the
because it was always the Tigers and the
because it was always the Tigers and the elephants the glamorous species which
elephants the glamorous species which
elephants the glamorous species which was getting all the attention so for the
was getting all the attention so for the
was getting all the attention so for the first time in the history the Indian
first time in the history the Indian
first time in the history the Indian Post released a stamp on sparrows so
Post released a stamp on sparrows so
Post released a stamp on sparrows so common flora getting on the stamp was a
common flora getting on the stamp was a
common flora getting on the stamp was a big win for us we worked with the Delhi
big win for us we worked with the Delhi
big win for us we worked with the Delhi government and got the sparrow declared
government and got the sparrow declared
government and got the sparrow declared as the state bird of Delhi we worked
as the state bird of Delhi we worked
as the state bird of Delhi we worked with a bomber based organization in
with a bomber based organization in
with a bomber based organization in distributing more than 52,000 bird
distributing more than 52,000 bird
distributing more than 52,000 bird feeders free of charge across the
feeders free of charge across the
feeders free of charge across the country in the world we believe that
country in the world we believe that
country in the world we believe that creating 15,000 opportunities for
creating 15,000 opportunities for
creating 15,000 opportunities for sparrows will help in bringing them back
sparrows will help in bringing them back
sparrows will help in bringing them back this helped us get back the emotional
this helped us get back the emotional
this helped us get back the emotional connect that we were looking out for
connect that we were looking out for
connect that we were looking out for however now what we wanted was people
however now what we wanted was people
however now what we wanted was people should commit themselves towards Pharaoh
should commit themselves towards Pharaoh
should commit themselves towards Pharaoh conservation saying I love Sparrow was
conservation saying I love Sparrow was
conservation saying I love Sparrow was not enough we wanted people to say I’ll
not enough we wanted people to say I’ll
not enough we wanted people to say I’ll put food for sparrows however we didn’t
put food for sparrows however we didn’t
put food for sparrows however we didn’t wanted to reinforce things on people
wanted to reinforce things on people
wanted to reinforce things on people because our supporters came from all
because our supporters came from all
because our supporters came from all walks of life they were doctors
walks of life they were doctors
walks of life they were doctors engineers policemen politicians that
engineers policemen politicians that
engineers policemen politicians that other things to look after also so they
other things to look after also so they
other things to look after also so they based on the time budget we calculated
based on the time budget we calculated
based on the time budget we calculated that even if someone gives 15 minutes in
that even if someone gives 15 minutes in
that even if someone gives 15 minutes in a week it will create big effect on the
a week it will create big effect on the
a week it will create big effect on the sparrows the Isle of Sparrow campaign
sparrows the Isle of Sparrow campaign
sparrows the Isle of Sparrow campaign reached more than 1 million people
reached more than 1 million people
reached more than 1 million people across the world people started
across the world people started
across the world people started committing themselves towards Pharaoh
committing themselves towards Pharaoh
committing themselves towards Pharaoh conservation because of this wide beats
conservation because of this wide beats
conservation because of this wide beats of audience that we had across the world
of audience that we had across the world
of audience that we had across the world we were able to declare 20th March as
we were able to declare 20th March as
we were able to declare 20th March as the world’s Pharaoh day which is today
the world’s Pharaoh day which is today
the world’s Pharaoh day which is today spread around more than 50 countries
spread around more than 50 countries
spread around more than 50 countries however today when I look back
however today when I look back
however today when I look back even after 15 years this is what is the
even after 15 years this is what is the
even after 15 years this is what is the biggest motivation even today when
biggest motivation even today when
biggest motivation even today when someone sends us a photograph of a
someone sends us a photograph of a
someone sends us a photograph of a sparrow its nest being occupied all
sparrow its nest being occupied all
sparrow its nest being occupied all sparrows on the feeders we get the same
sparrows on the feeders we get the same
sparrows on the feeders we get the same kind of excitement which was there 15
kind of excitement which was there 15
kind of excitement which was there 15 years back because we believe that the
years back because we believe that the
years back because we believe that the sparrows will help humanity consume
sparrows will help humanity consume
sparrows will help humanity consume nature one day
”
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