Haji Kalimullah Khan | |
|---|---|
 Khan (right) receiving thePadma Shri award in 2008 | |
| Born | |
| Other names | Mango man |
| Education | 7th Standard |
| Occupation | Horticulturist |
| Known for | Mango grafting |
| Awards | Padma Shri |
Haji Kalimullah Khan, popularly known asMango man, is an Indian horticulturist and fruit breeder, known for his accomplishments in breeding mangoes and other fruits.[1] He is known to have grown over 300 different varieties of mangoes on a single tree, using grafting techniques.[2][1]
Born inMalihabad, nearLucknow in the Indian state ofUttar Pradesh, Khan dropped out of school at 7th standard and took to the family business of farming.[3] Using the asexual propagation technique ofgrafting, he has developed several new varieties of mangoes, some of which has been named after celebrities and political leader such asSachin Tendulkar,Aishwarya Rai,Akhilesh Yadav,Sonia Gandhi,Narendra Modi,Amit Shah etc.[4][5]Anarkali, a variety of mango developed by him is reported to have two different skins and two different layers of pulp, each having a different taste.[3] The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of thePadma Shri, in 2008, for his contributions to horticulture.
