Kishor with his hybrid Kebisana

Imphal, June 16: Rajkumar Kishor is no Shah Jahan but the young Manipuri has created his own version of the Taj Mahal ? an exotic cross-breed orchid named after his wife.

But that?s only half the story. Kishor?s labour of love ? named Kebisana ? has been accepted by the Royal Horticultural Society of London, the world?s top organisation for hybrid orchid registration.

In fact, two other hybrid orchids developed by Kishor have also been registered by the society.

The 32-year-old expert on orchids ? who holds a doctoral degree from the life science department of Manipur University on orchids ? is creating waves in the international orchid circuit with his exotic hybrids of rare species found in the state.

The Royal Horticultural Society has even requested Kishor to send his hybrids for display in exhibitions organised by it.

Kishor?s goal is manifold. ?I have three objectives. The first is to preserve the genes of the rare orchid species. The second is to produce novel hybrids and the third to commercialise orchid growing,? he told The Telegraph.

A photograph of Kishor?s Renantanda Kebisana, a crossbreed of Renathura Imschootiana and Vanda Coerulea, evoked awe in Singapore.

?It is very nice and interesting. The colour is beyond all my expectations,? is how Yam Tin Wing, an orchid breeder of Singapore?s Botanical Garden, said in an e-mail after seeing the photograph.

The hybrid named after his wife evinced so much interest from the Orchid Society of South East Asia so that Peggy Tan, chairperson of the society?s publication sub-committee, has promised the breeder a report in their Orchid Review.

Kebisana is one of the 15 orchid hybrids Kishor has developed. Though her husband has reaped so much laurels, Kishor?s wife, a homemaker, keeps a low profile and is not exactly fond of publicity.

After getting a doctoral degree from the life science department of Manipur University on ?Production of hybrid orchids using certain rare/endangered endemic species of Manipur and micro-propagation of ilites?, Kishor has turned a full-time orchid cultivator.

?Seven of my 15 novel hybrids have successfully flowered. I am confident that the rest will also produce beautiful flowers,? Kishor said.

His latest cross-bred orchid has been named Aeridavanda Shiv Sidhu after Manipur governor Shivinder Singh Sidhu. A plant of the new hybrid was presented to the governor recently.

?I am surprised that there are people who are cross-breeding majestic orchids of Manipur. The effort by Kishor is commendable,? Sidhu commented while receiving the flower, which is now gracing the garden of the Raj Bhavan here.

Manipur is home to a variety of orchids. Though there is no survey to identify all the species found in the state, orchidologists estimate that Manipur has 250 to 300 species of orchids, mostly in the wilds.

Many of them are included in Appendix One as rare species by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna.

Kishor said orchid is big business in the West and in the Asian countries. One cut spike of orchid flower could easily fetch $50.

Manipur?s orchid species promise big business. Kishor is yet to release his hybrids to farmers, but he is raring to expand his products.

?Within the next five years, we are confident that Manipur will be releasing its own indigenously developed exotic orchid hybrids and in the process, earn foreign exchange,? Kishor said.