Can you imagine, if a single mango tree could produce the hundreds of different varieties of mangoes? It sounds unrealistic but in the Mango belt of the Malihabad in Uttar Pradesh this type of tress exists. The man behind this remarkable achievement is none other than Haji Kaleem Ullah Khan, a simple farmer whose passion for the mango cultivation earned him the title of ‘Mango Man of India’. With the decades of experimentation and dedication he transformed the century old tree into a living marvel which bears more than 250 varieties of mangoes and attracting the attentions from across the India and the world.
Who is the Mango Man of India?
Haji Kaleem Ullah Khan Malihabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh is popularly known as the Mango Man of India. A school drop out after standard 7 he find the his passion for the mango cultivation.
After taking the charge of his family orchard (means a piece of land on which fruit trees are grown), he spent nearly the decades of experimenting with different mango varieties and the innovative farming techniques.
With his efforts in the mango cultivation, in the year 2008 he was awarded with the Padma Shri and got recognition in the Limca Book of Records. Today he is celebrated for the creating one of the most unique mango trees in the world.
How Did He Create a Tree with 350 Mango Varieties?
To create 350 varieties form just one tree sounds crazy, but he achieved this milestone with the help of grafting. In this method branches from different mango varieties are carefully joined to a healthy rootstock.
His experiments were began in the year 1957 when he successfully grafted the multiple mango varieties onto a single tree. Over the period of years, continuous research, patience and skill helped him to expand the number of varieties growing on to the same tree.
Today, nearly a 125 year old tree in his orchard produces between 300 to 350 different kinds of mangoes and each of mango retaining its unique taste, color, size and aroma.
What Varieties Grow on the Tree?
The tree hosts the some of the India’s most famous mango varieties which includes the,
- Alphonso
- Dasheri
- Langra
- Kesar
- Chaunsa
Khan has also developed the unique hybrid varieties and he named several mango varieties after prominent personalities such as the Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Narendra Modi and Aishwarya Rai.
Why Is His Work So Special?
Haji Kaleem Ullah Khan’s work showcases how the innovation and traditional agricultural knowledge can creates the extraordinary results. His family orchard has become the learning centre for the farmers, researchers and horticulture enthusiasts from India and abroad.
Visitors from the countries like Iran and the United Arab Emirates have studied the method to understand how the grafting can improve the crop diversity and productivity.
Why Mango Man of India’s Methodology Matters Today?
In the current time where Agriculture facing the hard challenges from the ‘Mango Man of India and the need for the higher productivity. His work highlights the significance of the scientific experimentation in the farming
His success with his methodology shows how farmers can increase the diversity and create the new opportunities via innovative cultivation techniques.
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