Latest news with #KalimullahKhan
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Rajnath Aam: Defence Minister gets mango named after him by UP horticulturist
Kalimullah Khan, popularly known as the 'Mango Man' of India, has named a newly developed mango variety after Defence Minister Rajnath using his signature grafting technique in his Malihabad orchard, the new variety has been named 'Rajnath Aam'.Khan, who has earlier named mango varieties after several prominent Indian personalities, including Sachin Tendulkar, Aishwarya Rai, Akhilesh Yadav, Sonia Gandhi, Narendra Modi, and Amit Shah, was awarded the Padma Shri for his unique contributions and dedication to horticulture and fruit Speaking about his latest tribute, Khan told PTI Videos, "I name my mangoes after people who have served the country meaningfully. I want these names to live on for generations."Sometimes people forget great leaders, but if a mango reminds them of Rajnath Singh's good work, then it's worth it. He is a balanced and thoughtful individual. During a recent discussion about Pakistan, I found that he sincerely desires peace, not war."On the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir that left 26 people dead, Khan blamed Pakistan for initiating aggression."But today, the atmosphere has improved. Peace, not conflict, is the solution. Problems should be resolved through dialogue. War only escalates hatred and brings harm to all. We are all human, and division only causes more damage," he about the Malihabad region in Lucknow, known world over for its mangoes, Khan recalled that there were more than 1,300 mango varieties in the area in 1919, but over time, many have disappeared from the been working to preserve and revive them, and today I've developed over 300 varieties," he who began experimenting with crossbreeding mangoes as a child, shared that he only studied up to Class 7."I was never inclined towards classroom studies. I respected my teachers and classmates, but I kept failing in Classes 4, 5, 6, and even 7. My heart was always in the orchard."Born in 1945, according to official records, Khan said he still feels physically fit, despite having undergone a heart surgery and facing other health issues in his his many creations, he spoke proudly of the "Asl-ul-Muqarrar" variety of mangoes, which he began developing in 1987. He also recalled an encounter with the then World Bank president, who visited Malihabad."I told him about a special mango tree that emitted a fragrant aroma, which I believe works like a tonic for the brain. At first, I wondered what I was doing, telling such things to such a high-ranking man. But he came to the orchard, smelled the tree's fragrance, and was amazed. He then instructed officials to allot me five acres of land to expand this work," he Khan noted with a tinge of disappointment that despite the presence of senior officials from the central and state governments during that visit, no action was ever taken on the land about his life's mission, Khan said, "I want people to keep enjoying different varieties of mangoes long after I'm gone, especially those who truly love this fruit. Mango is one of the few fruits in the world that can help people stay healthy and has healing powers."He added that he has documented evidence of the mango's medicinal benefits in various places."Now, we have to see how far the research institutions can take these findings and turn them into real scientific progress." IN THIS STORY#Rajnath Singh
Deccan Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Deccan Herald
'Rajnath Aam': New mango variety named after defence minister
Kalimullah Khan, who has earlier named mango varieties after several prominent Indian personalities, including Sachin Tendulkar, Aishwarya Rai, Akhilesh Yadav, Sonia Gandhi, Narendra Modi, and Amit Shah, was awarded the Padma Shri for his unique contributions and dedication to horticulture and fruit breeding.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Mango Man Padma Shri Kalimullah Khan names his new variety after Operation Sindoor
For over a decade, Kalimullah Khan, a farmer and horticulturist from Uttar Pradesh, has been creating hybrid mango varieties and naming them after celebrities. Actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan, former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and even politicians like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Sonia Gandhi have all got mango trees that produce a deliciously special fruit that's named after them. After the success of Operation Sindoor, the 85-year-old created two new types of mangoes that he has named after India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the missile strikes against Pakistan called Rajnath aam and Sindoor aam. The Padma Shri awardee says. 'These fruits are for people who've done extraordinary work. From the moment the Indian army's operation was a success, I wanted to grow a mango that was dedicated to this feat and the architect behind it. For these two mangoes, we mixed chausa, amigudarsha, langda and dasheri in different proportions to create a tasty variety of the fruit for this season and it will be available till the month of July.' "We felt compelled to dedicate a special mango to this act of bravery. From the moment the army operation was successfully completed, it was in our minds that this year a variety should be dedicated to the victorious force, along with the architect behind it. So we came with the variety," shares the second son of Kalimullah, Nazimullah Khan, who along with his father previously bred the 'Namo aam' in 2014 and the 'Yogiji aam' in 2017. These mangoes are a rare treat that can be relished by visitors to the farm: 'We don't sell the fruits but distribute it for free to visitors. They are a tribute.' While the farmer prefers using dasheri mangoes in his passion project, he is secretive of the varieties used to grow these mangoes. 'Many kinds of mangoes are used in this process till we get the right flavour,' says Kalimullah, whose favourite is the Aishwarya aam.
