The man who turned a tree into a legend

April 16, 2025 Innovation Valli Sarvani

Imagine one tree growing hundreds of types of mangoes. It sounds impossible, but in Malihabad, Uttar Pradesh, it is real.

This is the work of Kaleem Ullah Khan, known as the Mango Man of India.

His story is about innovation, tradition, and love for mangoes. He has spent his life creating something truly unique and special.

As the summer sun begins to blaze across India, mangoes fill every market stall and dinner table.

Yet, while millions enjoy the fruit, Khan took it to an entirely new level.

He transformed a 120-year-old mango tree into a living wonder, grafting onto it over 300 distinct mango varieties, each with its own taste, texture, and identity.

His fascination with plants began early. At just 17, Khan chose not to follow the conventional path.

Instead of continuing school, which he never enjoyed beyond Class 7, he immersed himself in the nursery business with his father.

His first grafting experiment ended in failure, as the tree died during heavy rain.

Nevertheless, he persisted. With every setback, he refined his technique and slowly became a master of grafting.

Along the way, his creativity shone through in unexpected ways. Not only did he cultivate rare mangoes, but he also began naming them after famous personalities.

His first, Aishwarya, was named after Aishwarya Rai Bachchan when she won Miss World in 1994. Others followed, Sachin, Anarkali, and even Narendra Modi, each one a small tribute carved into the branch of his living art piece.

Over time, his dedication didn’t go unnoticed. In 2008, Kaleem Ullah Khan received the prestigious Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours.

This award celebrated not just his horticultural skill, but his vision and perseverance.

In a world often obsessed with speed and change, Khan’s work is a reminder that patience and passion can produce wonders.

With just one tree and a lifetime of commitment, he rewrote the story of mangoes, one graft at a time.

Image from Pxhere (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Published on December 31, 2016