Meet Ali Manikfan, the multifaceted man who won the Padma Shri award

Kozhikode, 07 Feb 2021 [Fik/News Sources]:  Ali Manikfan, an 82-year-old who hails from Lakshadweep but resides in Kozhikode, was conferred with the Padma Shri award.

Manikfan with his white headcover gray french beard and white shirt

Townsfolk of Olavanna in Kozhikode would often see an upright, lean person in Arab attires walk towards his house. They only knew that he was a retired official from Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) living here and was originally from Lakshadweep.

When television screens flashed the name of Ali Manikfan among the Padma awardees, the people of Olavanna were surprised to learn that it was their unassuming retired Marine official from Lakshadweep.

Mohammed Basheer and PR Ramachandran, employees of a private firm in Olavanna, said, "He is lean and frail but walked straight and with a twinkle in his eyes but we never knew who he was until the news flashed that he was awarded the Padma Shri."

Manikfan, who is currently living in a rented accommodation along with his wife in Olavanna, was sent to Kannur in Kerala for studies but after Class V he did not pursue formal education and returned to Minicoy, his hometown in Lakshwadeep islands.

He was a keen observer, knew almost every fish that inhabited the sea off the Minicoy island and this observation turned into a passion for fishes. This motivated him to study more about fishes, their origin and everything about them.

The research in fishes got him a job at the CMFRI where he discovered a rare fish which has been named after him - Abudefduf Manikfani.

He can speak, read and write 14 languages including French, German, English, Arabic and others and uses seven of these to communicate.

In 1981, he was invited to Oman to make a ship, a replica of the one believed to be used by Sinbad, the Sailor, during his voyages. He was invited by the Irish voyager Tim Sirven who wanted it to be made without metals. Ali and his team made a 27-m long ship using timber and coir in a year. It was named "Sohar" after the town of Sohar in Oman. Tim and his team travelled 9,000 km from Oman to China on it and it is now kept in a museum in Oman.

Manikfan told IANS, "Those days metal was not used for making ships and hence we had to replicate one using timber. This ship sailed up to China from Oman and is still kept at Oman museum."

Another major interest of Manikfan is the lunar calendar and he has built one based on the New Moon and on astronomical algorithms.

The multifaceted personality has also invented a bicycle with roller motor and travelled to New Delhi along with his son Musa.

Another of his interests is agriculture and he has converted a barren 15 acre land at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu into a lush green farmland using indigenous methods of cultivation. He has also created residential premises using traditional materials.

While working with the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute of India, his keen observations skills helped marine biologist Dr. Santhappan Jones discover a new fish species. Impressed by his observation skills and knowledge about marine life, Jones called the new species Abudefduf manikfani.

Rebuilt an ancient Arab ship

In 1981, Manikfan even rebuilt an ancient Arab ship using traditional methods. He was approached by Irish adventurer Tim Severin to rebuild the trading ship, the Sohar, in Oman. The ship, named after the city of Sohar in Oman, was completely hand-made, using traditional boat-building techniques, and no metal was used in its construction. It took one year to build the 27-metre-long ship, and four tons of coir were needed to sew the planks of its hull. The Sohar is now displayed at a Museum in Oman.

Manikfan devised a lunar calendar for the whole world. After discussing with astronomers he became convinced that Muslim shouldn’t use different sets of lunar calendars. He tries to find a way to make all Muslims accept a unified Hijree calendar.

Ali Manikfan follows non-aggressive agricultural methods that take nature in consideration. 

For his 15 acre land in Valliyur in Tamil Nadu, he produces his own electricity from a windmill which he designed himself. He even has a refrigerator at home, which was made by him.