And now, Akhilesh Mango

A sweet mango, more brown than green, the fruit of a five year old tree, named after UP’s youngest chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is the latest variety of mango to emerge from the mango belt of Malihabad.

Developed by renowned mango grafter Kalimullah Khan, the variety joins the list of mangos named after other super achievers like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar.

“This mango is very close to my heart. It is succulent and has been developed from a young tree. Like people have from the CM, I have great expectations from this mango”, says the man popularly known as
Mango King.

A mango tree bears fruit between six to 10 years. However, much like the young CM who has shot to prominence at a young age, this tree bore fruit in just five years. “It was the most apt name for the mango”,
grins Khan who has no intentions of selling the fruit even though he will send a small basket to the chief minister. Next year he hopes to have a bigger crop when he grafts the variety onto other trees.

He is also quick to clarify that he should not be considered a Samajwadi Party supporter. “I name my mangos after achievers”, he says. Thus the mango named Aishwarya found its moniker because it resembled the actress in “grace and colour” whiles the Sachin mango was so named for its unique taste and shape.

Khan will take his famed mangos to an exhibition in Delhi next month.