Journey of a self-taught visionary

Staff Reporter

On his own:Ali Manikfan, marine scientist, in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.— Photo: S. Gopakumar

Muradgandavaru Ali Manikfan looks like he stepped out a life-size sketch of a stereotypical ‘wise old man’ — lean, weather-beaten, sharp yet preoccupied eyes, and a white goatee for a beard.

His physical features complement his persona, a quiet genius leading a life of simplicity with self-sufficiency as his mantra and ingenuity intact at 74.

What is astounding about Mr. Manikfan is that he holds no educational qualifications and it is entirely his ‘autodidactic research skills’ or self-taught knowledge that gave him with titles such as marine scientist, astronomer, agricultural expert, and one who is proficient in 14 languages.

Currently living in Tirunelveli but born and brought up in Minicoy in Lakshadweep, Mr. Manikfan’s life was captured on celluloid in an eponymous documentary made by Majid Azhicode.

The director said 45 minutes was woefully inadequate to bring out his achievements. “Ideally, this film should go on for five hours to capture the life of someone as fascinating as Ali Manikfan,” Mr. Azhicode said.

Screened at Kalabhavan here, the film showcased Manikfan’s contributions to marine biology and his experiments in creating a ‘Do Nothing Farm’ in the area around his house in Tirunelveli and his role in designing a lunar calendar for Muslims. Prior to the screening, the former chairperman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy K.R. Mohan presented the documentary to Mr. Manikfan.

An year of shooting in Lakshadweep, Delhi, and Tamil Nadu and interviews with personalities ranging from historian Lotika Varadarajan, journalist K.M. Roy, and marine scientist S.Z. Qasim were put together into this first project by Mr. Azhicode.

Mr. Manikfan’s knowledge of the marine ecosystem merely from observation proved invaluable to institutions such as the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).

What started off as assisting marine biologist S. Jones in his research culminated in a fish species being named after Mr. Manikfan — Abudefduf Manikfani — and his appointment as field assistant in CMFRI.

After he moved to Valioor in Tamil Nadu, he preoccupied himself with nurturing dry and barren land and succeeded in creating a lush ecosystem with minimal work. Growing only indigenous plant varieties, the area he developed around his home in Tirunelveli district came to be called the ‘Do Nothing Farm.’

The universal lunar calendar he formulated; his ship-building expertise; and the Tamil Nadu-New Delhi trip on a bicycle fitted with a motor he designed are other landmarks in his life, none of which “was with a money-making objective.”

“People need to learn to be self-sufficient and know that minimal interference with the environment will yield best results,” Mr. Manikfan said. “Belief plays a significant role in healing and it is sad that everyone is going to hospitals for the slightest ailment,” he said.

The documentary will be screened in Kozhikode as well.