In Malihabad, Uttar Pradesh, an 84-year-old farmer named Kalimullah Khan grows over 350 varieties of mangoes on a single tree. People now call him the 'Mango Man of India'.
An Unlikely Start
Kalimullah Khan left school after failing Class seven. He found his passion in his family's mango orchard. This is where his life's work began.
As a young man, he wondered if one tree could grow many kinds of mangoes. This idea seemed impossible, but it stayed with him.
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Start Your News DetoxIn the 1950s, he tried grafting seven varieties onto one tree. Floods destroyed his first attempt. Instead of giving up, he started over.
Learning from Nature
He had no formal training. He learned by watching the trees. The orchard taught him about soil, branches, and seasons. He says, "The trees have been my teachers."
Patience was key. In the late 1980s, he began grafting new varieties onto an old family tree. Slowly, this experiment grew into something amazing.
A Living Mango Library
Decades later, that single tree now has over 300 varieties. Each branch produces mangoes that look, smell, and taste different.
Grafting needs patience and skill. Kalimullah believes it's an art. It means choosing the right varieties and caring for them for years.
Some mango varieties are named after famous people, like Sachin Tendulkar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Each mango has its own story.
A Legacy Continues
Today, his son Nazimullah helps with the orchard. Creating a new mango hybrid can take almost ten years. This shows how much patience farming requires.
Farmers and researchers from all over the world visit Malihabad to see the tree. What started as one man's idea is now a global wonder.
Now in his eighties, Kalimullah still talks about mangoes with great joy. He says, "I have spent my life with these trees," and they are very important to him.
