Kalimullah Khan, famously known as the 'Mango Man' of India, has named a newly-developed mango variety after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh—'Rajnath Aam'.
Khan, who received Padma Shri for his contributions to horticulture and fruit breeding, has earlier named mango varieties after several prominent Indian personalities, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Sachin Tendulkar, Aishwarya Rai, Akhilesh Yadav, and Sonia Gandhi.
According to media reports, Khan decided to name the new mango variety after the defence minister after he was inspired by India's resolute response to the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam under the leadership of Singh.
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He had reportedly wanted to dedicate a mango to Singh but was waiting for a fitting variety. The variety named after Singh is produced using his signature grafting technique in his Malihabad orchard.
"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," news agency PTI quoted Khan as saying.
Khan blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir that left 26 people dead and said, "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."
