Low-hanging wires, heavy traffic and people who love flying kites have made Delhi a dangerous place for its wild birds. It prompted two brothers to spend the past five years rescuing the Indian capital’s sick and injured birds in an initiative that has already saved an estimated 50,000 animals.
Amit and Abhishek Jain used their own earnings to adapt a motorbike into their distinctive bird ambulance. Then, as support grew, they set up the Vidyasagar Jeev Daya Parivar Trust last year.
It began, says Amit, with a chance encounter in 2018. “One day, during our commute to work, we came across a heartwrenching scene. A helpless bird was entangled by its wing, dangling from a branch. We couldn’t remain passive,” he says.
After trying to free the trapped bird for half an hour, the Jain brothers called in the local firefighters. The bird was freed, but Amit, who runs a pharmacy, and Abhishek, who has a clothes shop, wanted to do more.
“It was then that we decided to dedicate our free time to the wellbeing of birds,” Amit says.
Last year they made their project official, registering the trust with the government. It now has about 600 members who are actively involved and another 1,000 supporters. Together, they help 30 to 35 birds every day. “Initially, it was just the two of us, but as word spread, people from all walks of life joined us,” says Amit.
The operation now has a dedicated team of rescuers and three people managing the call centre. Among the species they have saved are peacocks, eagles, black kites, owls and pigeons. The pigeon population has soared thanks to the sale of grain by the road to feed them, and the birds account for a significant portion of their rescues.
Amit and Abhishek belong to the Jain faith, an ancient Indian religion that advocates for non-violence and vegetarianism. From a young age, they were taught a profound respect for all living things, large and small.
“Birds have an equal right to exist in this world, just like humans. In the name of progress, we have destroyed their natural habitats,” says Amit. “These marvellous creatures have been here since the dawn of time.
“In today’s world, everyone craves convenience, such as doorstep pizza delivery. We embraced this concept and adapted it to bird rescue. By making our contact information widely available, we ensure that injured birds can swiftly receive the assistance they need.
“Saving a life brings more happiness than any party ever could,” he says.
Birds are injured in all sorts of ways, from poisoning to becoming entangled in kite threads or wires, leaving many of them to a slow death.
The scale of the problem has turned the brothers into campaigners, pushing for better government facilities. Amit says: “When we take injured animals to government clinics, there is often insufficient space and funding for their treatment. We implore the government to establish fully functional avian and animal hospitals, just as they have done for people.”
The brothers also want to make people more aware of the vital role trees play in bird habitats. Their trust promotes environmental awareness and lobbies for greater awareness of ecology when planning developments.
People do care about the city’s birds, they insist. “When we started, people used to make fun of us,” says Abhishek. “This concept seemed so alien to them.
“We know this initiative is only going to grow bigger,” he adds, “so we are not backing out at any cost.”
