ADILABAD: A retired BSF jawan from Kagaznagar is on a mission to protect exotic birds in Nrimal district. Since his retirement from the forces in 2014, Rakesh Kumar Mistri has been breeding, feeding, and sheltering birds on his residential premises. The veteran soldier is so passionate about birds that he had to sell a portion of his ancestral land and shell out `16 lakh for their upkeep.Rakesh had joined the BSF in 2004. An incident at the RS Pura sector along the Jammu and Kashmir border, where he was stationed, changed his life forever. A few migratory birds, unable to deal with the climatic conditions, dropped dead on the ground while he was on duty. He spotted one of them struggling to breathe, and rushed it to the nearest medical facility.
“I took the bird in, gave it treatment for 15 days, and nursed it back to health. The incident changed my life. I then knew what I wanted to do after retirement,” said Rakesh.After his retirement, he bought 10 pairs of exotic birds from Kolkata. Fast forward to 2021, Rakesh is the owner of 500 birds of various exotic and endangered species, like the African lovebirds, parakeet, cockatiel and others.
“I want to help migratory birds that can’t deal with our climatic conditions regain their strength. I have spent `16 lakh for their upkeep so far,” he said. “When I was a kid, I used to see many birds like sparrows and crows near my house. Now I don’t find them anywhere. Due to climate change and global warming, they are slowly disappearing,” he added. Rakesh said that by offering a home for birds, he was sending a message to future generations on the need for saving the environment.
Home sweet home
Rakesh has set up a special room for his birds with nets and clay pots. They are fed two to three times a day. The veteran soldier is also planning to start ornamental fish breeding on a one-acre land, apart from the aviary. The former BSF jawan also said that the makers of the movie Robo 2.0 had purchased birds from him for the production.