▁Indian ▁orn ith ology , ▁which ▁helped ▁spark ▁popular ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁birds ▁of ▁India . ▁First ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁it ▁is ▁currently ▁in ▁its ▁ 1 3 th ▁edition . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁older ▁books ▁on ▁Indian ▁birds ▁were ▁meant ▁for ▁identification ▁using ▁spec im ens ▁in ▁the ▁hand ▁and ▁the ▁only ▁other ▁field ▁guide , ▁Hugh ▁Wh ist ler ' s ▁Popular ▁Hand book ▁Of ▁Indian ▁Bird s ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁London , ▁was ▁getting ▁out ▁of ▁date ▁and ▁not ▁readily ▁available ▁in ▁India . ▁The ▁book ▁of ▁Indian ▁birds ▁provided ▁a ▁popular ▁bird - guide ▁in ▁a ▁low - cost ▁edition . ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁J . ▁Paul ▁Get ty ▁Award ▁for ▁Conserv ation ▁Le ad ership , ▁while ▁award ing ▁Sal im ▁Ali ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁said ▁in ▁its ▁c itation : ▁... ▁your ▁book , ▁the ▁Book ▁of ▁Indian ▁Bird s ▁which ▁in ▁its ▁way ▁was ▁the ▁sem inal ▁natural ▁history ▁volume ▁for ▁everyone ▁in ▁India . ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁early ▁converts ▁of ▁the ▁book ▁was ▁J aw ah ar l al ▁Ne h ru , ▁who ▁was ▁to ▁become ▁India ' s ▁first ▁prime ▁minister . ▁ ▁While ▁in ▁j ail ▁under ▁the ▁British ▁Raj , ▁ ▁he ▁gave ▁a ▁copy ▁to ▁his ▁ 2 5 - year - old ▁daughter ▁Ind ira ▁Gand hi . ▁ ▁The ▁second ▁edition ▁of ▁the ▁book ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁subsequent ▁ed itions ▁being ▁in ▁ 1