Birbal's interests were wide and his discovery of the coin moulds at Rohtak in March 1936 bears witness. This archaeological discovery by a palaeobotanist, with the stroke of a geologist's hammer, symbolizes the vitality and versatility of the man. It is a tribute to his genius that not only did he make this unique discovery, but also threw himself heart and soul into the study of these coin moulds. He published his results in a masterly monograph in the journal of the Numismatic Society in 1945, setting, according to a numismatist, a new standard of research in the subject. For this purpose he set himself to the study of some of the Indian coin moulds as well as those from China. He took keen interest in all geological problems, even those that had no direct bearing upon his palaeobotanical work. But it must be said that, if one scratched him deep enough, one always found a botanist in the core.

There was another aspect of Birbal's attitude towards life which comes forcibly to mind and which shows his independent outlook and his love for the science to which he remained devoted throughout life, and in which he was subsequently to make a name for himself and for his country. Father was one of those disciplinarians from whom a mere suggestion was usually enough to settle where the decision lay. He and his friends had sometimes discussed what career the sons were to follow. In the summer of 1911 came Birbal's turn to proceed to England for higher studies. Birbal was asked to prepare for his departure. There could not be much argument about it, but I distinctly remember Birbal's answer: that if it was an order, he would go, but that if his own inclinations in the matter were to be considered, he would take up a research career in Botany, and nothing else. Though this astonished father for a while, yet he consented, for in spite of his strong disciplinarian attitude, he gave perfect freedom of choice in essential matters. Thus it was that Birbal took up a career as a botanist. In this case, perhaps, father's acquiescence was not so difficult, as he had been himself always keen on research and, indeed, after years of service as a professor of chemistry, he went to Manchester where he carried out investigations on radioactivity with Prof. Ernest Rutherford, results of which were subsequently published. Indeed, Birbal helped him there in photographic and other incidental work during the vacations, though he had himself to take the Natural Science Tripos, Part II, in the same year. It scarcely needs repetition that father's example gave the incentive and inspiration for research to all those around him, and not only that; he inculcated a spirit of fearless, shedding the lustre of freedom around himself which played its own part in the independence movement.

Although Birbal gained many academic distinctions but he did not plan to seek them. He invariably had an independent outlook where such matters were concerned, irrespective of consequences. Once during his B.Sc. examination of the Punjab University sitting down the Botany examination he found that question paper set was an exact, or almost exact, replica of the paper set at a previous examination. He thought that such a question paper might give undue advantage to some and an undue handicap others, and that, in any case, it could not be a fair test of knowledge. He got up, handing the (blank) answer sheets to the invigilator against all persuasion, walked out of the hall in protest. When came home within less than half an hour of the commencement of the examination and met father at the doorstep, it was a worthy sight! The surprised parent could not decide whether to show anger or laugh at situation, such as even he as a professor of long standing had never been faced with – a situation comic enough, but, nevertheless, potentially fraught with serious consequences for the University was in no way bound to set a fresh paper to please the impetuosity of a young student. The matter went to the University Syndicate. Birbal one the day, for it was decided that no examiner could be so easy going or disinterested as to pick up an earlier paper and inflict it upon the students, almost to to. A fresh paper was set for him. This shows how well he held the courage of convictions, where even an older man might have been afraid to lose a year so unnecessarily, being well able to answer the questions set.