At 74, This Nagpur Man Has Made Over 2700 Sparrow Nests From Discarded Wedding Cards

On most mornings in Nagpur, 74-year-old Ashok Tevani sits at a small table surrounded by stacks of old wedding invitation cards, chocolate boxes, and pieces of cardboard. With careful hands, he cuts, folds, and shapes the discarded materials into something unexpected — a tiny, colourful sparrow nest.

It takes him nearly five to five-and-a-half hours to complete one.

But for Tevani, lovingly called Tevani Kaka in his neighbourhood, each nest is more than just a craft project. It is a small effort to bring sparrows back into India’s rapidly changing cities.

Over the past decade, he has made more than 2,725 nests, each one built patiently by hand.

A retirement that sparked a new purpose

Tevani spent 38 years working at the Bank of India before retiring. Like many people stepping into retirement, he suddenly found himself with more time on his hands.

But slowing down was never really his plan.

“Since childhood, I always enjoyed making things,” he says. Growing up, he would often experiment with simple materials to build small wooden objects or boxes.

After retirement, that old interest slowly resurfaced.

The turning point came in March 2014, when he read an article in a children’s magazine about the declining population of sparrows.

The article suggested something simple — if every household placed a birdhouse outside, it could help provide safe nesting spaces for the birds.

“I thought it might be a small step, but at least I can do something,” Tevani recalls.

That thought was enough to get him started.

Turning discarded items into bird homes

Instead of buying new materials, Tevani turned to something most households throw away: old wedding invitation cards and packaging boxes.

The thick paper and cardboard, he realised, were perfect for crafting sturdy bird nests.

Soon, bright, colourful little homes began taking shape.

To ensure he always has enough material, Tevani even placed a collection box outside his house, inviting neighbours to drop off unused wedding cards.

Each nest is carefully designed so sparrows feel safe enough to use it.

“Birds inspect the nest first,” he explains. “Only when they feel secure do they come back and bring their chicks.”

Over 2,700 nests, and still counting

What began as a personal experiment has slowly turned into a decade-long effort.

Today, Tevani builds around 25 to 26 nests every month, steadily adding to the growing number he has created since 2014.

Despite the time and effort involved, he sells each nest for just Rs 40, barely covering the cost of materials.

“I’m not doing this for money; it has now become my passion,” he adds.

Earlier, when he gave them away for free, many people placed them indoors as decorative pieces. Now he makes sure buyers understand that the nests must be placed outside where birds can actually use them.

Inspiring children to care for nature

Tevani’s work has also sparked curiosity among young students.

He regularly conducts workshops in schools, where he teaches children how simple materials can be turned into bird nests.

In one such workshop with students from Classes 6 and 7, he shared the basic idea and encouraged them to try making nests at home.

“The next day their teacher called me,” he recalls with a smile. “The children had made such beautiful nests.”

This year, he is taking the effort a step further. In collaboration with a local NGO, Gramayan, he hopes to reach 20 schools in Nagpur before March 20, sharing nests and spreading awareness about sparrow conservation among students.

For Tevani, even a small spark of inspiration matters.

“If two out of 100 children get inspired to make their own nest, that would be wonderful,” he says.

A small step that can make a big difference

On World Sparrow Day, Tevani believes cities can do more to support birds.

His suggestion is simple: new buildings could include dedicated bird spaces or small nests in balconies, giving sparrows safe places to live.

“If even half the homes install nests, birds will come back,” he says.

Until then, Tevani continues his quiet routine, patiently crafting tiny homes, one colourful nest at a time, hoping each one might become a safe shelter for a sparrow somewhere in the city.

All images courtesy Ashok Tevani

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