Kalimullah, a Padma Shri awardee, famous for growing scores of mango varieties has come out with a new variety of mango and named it "Modi mango". Kalimullah, a Class VII drop-out, has earned recognition far and wide for his innovations. Kalimullah said unlike others who develop it through grafting process, he crosses flowers and sows their seeds as every seed is different from the other.

"I had kept the first fruits of the Modi mango variety solely for the Prime Minister but I do not have a medium to send them to him," Kalimullah said. "It is my wish that I can offer him the king of fruits myself and I am confident that he will love it," he said. "All those who have tasted it, be it officials or the connoisseur of the fruit, have found it very delicious and delectable," he added.

Kalimullah, who has earned recognition far and wide for his innovations, said he finds it surprising that dignitaries coming to Lucknow find time to visit his orchards. "Foreign delegates coming to the SGPGI here for some conference came over to me recently and were delighted to see the different varieties," he said. Kalimullah, had earlier named his mango varieties after Aishwaryia Rai and Sachin Tendulkar.

By Premji