For over 80 years, Kaleem Ullah Khan, also known as Mango Man, has had an
obsession with mangoes. Ever since he was a teenager, Khan has believed that there
are properties to a mango that are still yet to be discovered. Khan resides in Malihabad,
a small field in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in northern India.
Kaleem Ullah Khan has spent a lifetime growing over 300 different varieties of
mangoes. Khan has weaved in many of his life experiences into growing mangoes as
well.
“If you look at it from a distance, it’s a tree,” said Khan, “But when in fruit, you are in awe
— what is this show? …If you see through your mind’s eye, you will see that this is at
once a tree, an orchard, and most importantly it is a college for the world’s mangoes.”
Khan has also gained many awards and prizes for his work. He has been awarded the
Padma Shri, which is the highest award for an Indian Citizen.
Mango Man has made many mango types dedicated to people. Some of such is the
NaMo Mango, named after the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in 2014, one for the
leader of the national cricket team, Sachin Tendulkar, as well as Aishwarya Rai, who
was named Miss World in 1994.
Khan repeats again and again to everyone that he believes the fruit has infinite
potential.
“We come, we eat mangoes, and we leave the world. But as long as the world is there,
this fruit will be there.”
Khan tells a story about his fascination with mangoes. He was a failing student in the
7th grade, and to avoid a beating from his father, Khan ran to his grandmother’s village.
“I stayed there 17 days so I didn’t get a beating. When I came back, I quietly joined my
father at the nursery. He didn’t say anything.”
From then on, Khan started experimenting with cross breeding and growing new
saplings, creating the image we now know him as, Mango Man.
obsession with mangoes. Ever since he was a teenager, Khan has believed that there
are properties to a mango that are still yet to be discovered. Khan resides in Malihabad,
a small field in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in northern India.
Kaleem Ullah Khan has spent a lifetime growing over 300 different varieties of
mangoes. Khan has weaved in many of his life experiences into growing mangoes as
well.
“If you look at it from a distance, it’s a tree,” said Khan, “But when in fruit, you are in awe
— what is this show? …If you see through your mind’s eye, you will see that this is at
once a tree, an orchard, and most importantly it is a college for the world’s mangoes.”
Khan has also gained many awards and prizes for his work. He has been awarded the
Padma Shri, which is the highest award for an Indian Citizen.
Mango Man has made many mango types dedicated to people. Some of such is the
NaMo Mango, named after the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in 2014, one for the
leader of the national cricket team, Sachin Tendulkar, as well as Aishwarya Rai, who
was named Miss World in 1994.
Khan repeats again and again to everyone that he believes the fruit has infinite
potential.
“We come, we eat mangoes, and we leave the world. But as long as the world is there,
this fruit will be there.”
Khan tells a story about his fascination with mangoes. He was a failing student in the
7th grade, and to avoid a beating from his father, Khan ran to his grandmother’s village.
“I stayed there 17 days so I didn’t get a beating. When I came back, I quietly joined my
father at the nursery. He didn’t say anything.”
From then on, Khan started experimenting with cross breeding and growing new
saplings, creating the image we now know him as, Mango Man.
